On the Ice
by Angelprinczess
Summary: AU Squinoa Love, happiness, pain, betrayal...all taking place on the ice. Rinoa and Squall fight to come out on top, when everyone else is intent on bringing them down.
1. First Impressions

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII, its characters, or anything relating to it, so don't sue me!

Author's Note: Hi everybody! This is my new fic, which is, of course, a Squinoa. As you can probably tell by the title, this fic is going to revolve around figure skating. I really hope that you enjoy it. 

On the Ice

Chapter 1- First Impressions

A vast expanse of white. Glistening brightly, anticipating the events that would be happening on its surface. The ice had been polished to perfection for tonight's event. There was not a single mark visible to the human eye. The arena was packed with roaring fans, eagerly waiting for the competition to begin. Off to the side stood Rinoa Heartilly, dressed in a black, off the shoulder, costume. Heart pounding, palms sweaty, she couldn't wait to get out on the ice. The only thing was, her partner was nowhere in sight. This was, after all, the pairs competition.

Sighing, she turned to her coach. "Robert, do you have any idea where Seifer could have run off to now?"

Robert was surprised. "You mean he's not here? The competition starts in five minutes, and you two are on second! Don't tell me you haven't even practiced your routine yet? "

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Yes, Robert, we have practiced already. Seifer was here a few minutes ago...maybe he went backstage. I'll go see if I can find him."

"Well, you had better make it quick, Rinoa. Like I said, you're going to be on very soon. Plus, it doesn't hurt to check out your competition. There are a lot of new pairs, like Seifer and yourself, who are in this contest for the first time. As beginners, it would very wise to see what they have planned." Robert told her matter-of-factly.

"Okay, I get it! I promise I won't be long." Shaking her head, Rinoa left Robert and headed towards the backstage area. 

Looking around, she didn't see Seifer anywhere. _I'm going to kill him! This is definitely not a good way to start off the competition! _She thought angrily. Up ahead, she saw a short girl with brown hair and green eyes. Next to her, was a taller man with long brown hair. Rinoa guessed it was the girl's partner. Walking up to her, Rinoa said, "Excuse me, but have you seen a man back here? He would be dressed in black skating attire. Let's see...he has short blonde hair and he's about six foot three."

"Hmmm..." The girl said, "Actually, I think I know who you're talking about! I saw him go into that room over there." The girl pointed to a door down the hall. "I'm Selphie by the way, and this is my partner, Irvine." 

"Nice to meet you." Rinoa said as she shook Selphie's hand. "My name's Rinoa. I'm sorry to be in such a rush, but the man I'm looking for is my partner, and if I don't find him soon, we won't be able to compete."

"You're competing, too!" Selphie squealed. "Good luck to both of us then, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so. See you later." Rinoa waved and hurried down the hall towards the door. She was just about there, when she bumped into a hard form, and landed on the floor.

"Are you okay?" 

Lifting her gaze, she found herself looking into the iciest blue eyes she had ever seen. The sparkling ice in the arena didn't even come close to comparing with the brilliance of his eyes. "Y-yeah, I'm alright." Rinoa said as she quickly got up and dusted herself off. "I'm sorry...I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm really in a hurry and-"

She was cut off as the door in front of her opened and out walked Seifer. "Rinoa?" He asked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" She asked angrily. "Oh, I don't know, maybe trying to find _you _since we are on in less than _ten _minutes!"

"Really?" Seifer asked. "I completely lost track of time. You see, I was meditating in that room, and the time just flew by. I have to say, it really relaxes you."

Rinoa raised an eyebrow. "_You _meditating?" She asked skeptically. "You know what, whatever. We really don't have time for this! Let's get out there!"

"Fine, fine." Seifer grumbled. "Let's go show all those other losers who the real winner is." 

"Excuse me?" The man Rinoa had bumped into asked.

"Yes?" She had forgotten that he was there.

"I just wanted to know if you've seen a blonde girl, wearing a red costume? She said she would only be gone for a few minutes..."

The poor guy looked completely helpless. "No, sorry, I haven't seen her. Would you like me to help you look for her?" Rinoa asked. 

"Rinoa!" Seifer exclaimed. "We don't have time! Weren't you just saying that?"

Rinoa lowered her head. "I'm sorry, but he's right. We have to get going. Good luck finding that girl, though." With one last look at the mysterious stranger, she turned and headed towards the ice.

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"Welcome to the tenth annual new pairs skating competition!" The announcer exclaimed. "Live from the Dollet Skating Arena. We really have a treat for you here today! Four pairs of skaters will be competing in a three part competition to win the gold. Today is the first round. Now, here is the first pair, representing Trabia, Irvine Kinneas and Selphie Tilmitt."

Irvine and Selphie skated onto the ice, waving happily. Selphie had on a sparkling yellow costume, while Irvine was wearing a plain brown outfit. They took their positions, and Rinoa watched as they put on a beautiful performance. It was serious, yet playful at the same time. They managed to land all of their jumps, except for a slight mistake on one of them. They finished, grinning from ear to ear.

"Damn, that was good." Robert told Rinoa and Seifer. 

Seifer shrugged. "Nothing special. Let's see what the judges think."

Selphie and Irvine were now seated, anxiously waiting for their scores. "The technical marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 5.7, 5.6, 5.8, 5.8, 5.7, 5.8."

"5.6? They deserve better than that." Rinoa whispered.

"I told you their performance was nothing special." Seifer smirked.

"The artistic marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 5.7, 5.7, 5.8, 5.7, 5.7, 5.8." The crowd applauded politely and Selphie and Irvine smiled again, then walked off.

"Well, that puts Kinneas and Tilmitt in first place for the time being. Next, representing Deling City, we have Seifer Almasy and Rinoa Heartilly."

Seifer and Rinoa skated onto the ice gracefully. "You better not mess this up." He whispered to Rinoa. "We need to win that gold medal!"

"What has gotten into you, Seifer? As long as we put on our best performance, nothing else matters." Rinoa told him.

Seifer shook his head. "God, Rinoa, you are such a looser. That attitude isn't going to get you anywhere."

Rinoa didn't have a chance to respond as the music started up and their routine began. Rinoa knew things were going to turn bad as soon as she pushed off the ice. Seifer and her were completely out of sync. They only landed one jump out of three, and that wasn't the worst of it. When Seifer lifted Rinoa up, he caught a glimpse of someone off to the side. His concentration was immediately shaken and Rinoa fell from his grip. If he hadn't realized what was happening and grabbed her at the last minute, she could have gotten seriously injured.

As the music ended, Rinoa tried her best to act like their horrible performance had been no big deal. As her and Seifer went to take their seats and wait for their scores, Rinoa forced herself to smile. Inside, she was a mess, and all she wanted to do was cry.

"The technical marks for Almasy and Heartilly are: 5.3, 5.3, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.3."

Rinoa was devastated at the horrible marks. _Please let the next set go up..._

"The artistic marks for Almasy and Heartilly are: 5.4, 5.4, 5.5, 5.4, 5.4, 5.4."

_Not much better... _Rinoa sighed to herself, but forced a smile for the audience. With one final wave, she followed Seifer down the steps and off to the sidelines.

"What was that?!" Seifer shouted. "You were _horrible_!" 

"_Me_?" Rinoa asked. "I don't think I deserve all the blame. You dropped me!"

"No I didn't. You moved and lost your balance!" 

"Seifer, that is completely ridiculous! You can't always blame others for your mistakes." Rinoa told him angrily.

"Damn you, Rinoa." Seifer said harshly as he walked away to the backstage area.

Rinoa sat down, tears filling her eyes. She barely even noticed the next couple skating on the ice. She hadn't really caught their name...something like Chris Baker and Anita Lowtance.

She looked up as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "That...was hard to watch."

A tear trickled down Rinoa's face. "I know that Robert, okay? Do you have to go rubbing it in?"

"Rinoa, I have never seen you perform so badly. What's wrong?" Robert asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Nothing! I'm fine, see?" She smiled slightly.

"I heard what Seifer said to you." Robert told her. "I'm considering letting you two go."

"What?" Rinoa asked in alarm. "Why?"

"I'm not sure if I can work with Seifer's attitude anymore. He is wearing you down, both physically and emotionally. He could have killed you on that ice because he let his attention stray." He shook his head sadly.

"Do you know what had Seifer so preoccupied?" Rinoa asked. "He blames me, you know. He said I slipped."

Robert nodded. "I don't want to upset you anymore than you already are, but if my eyes weren't failing me, he was staring at a woman."

Rinoa shook her head. "No, Robert, you have to be wrong."

"I wish that I was wrong, Rinoa, I really do, but it was a woman alright." He told her sadly.

"How could he do this to me?" Rinoa whispered.

"He's a jerk, Rinoa. My advice to you is to dump his ass, but that's just me talking. Don't worry about it now...the final pair is about to skate. Maybe they'll mess up and you'll have a chance for third."

"Our final pair of skaters, representing Balamb, are Squall Leonhart and Quistis Trepe."

Rinoa gasped as she saw that Squall Leonhart was the same guy she had crashed into earlier. He truly was gorgeous, with his shaggy brown hair and built body. From where she was sitting, she couldn't see his eyes, but she knew from before how blue they were. She figured that his partner was the woman he had been looking for earlier. She was blonde and dressed in red. The woman, Quistis, was extremely beautiful, but there was something troubling about her. Rinoa just couldn't figure out what it was.

They began to skate and Rinoa could see how wonderful they were. The only thing was, Quistis seemed to be slightly ahead of Squall the whole time. As Squall came skating by her, Rinoa offered him an encouraging smile. Momentarily startled, he stared at her, and ended up bumping into Quistis. She shot him a dirty look, but quickly covered it up with a false smile.

Rinoa felt terrible for having distracted him. The rest of their performance went downhill from there, and you could see the fire burning in Quistis' eyes. They waited for their scores, Quistis smiling sweetly into the camera the whole time.

"The technical marks for Leonhart and Trepe are: 5.6, 5.6, 5.5, 5.4, 5.5, 5.5." The announcer paused. "The artistic marks for Leonhart and Trepe are: 5.4, 5.4, 5.5, 5.4, 5.5, 5.4."

"Well ladies and gentleman, day one of the competition is over." The announcer said. "The results are as follows: in first place are Kinneas and Tilmitt, in second place are Baker and Lawrence, in third place are Leonhart and Trepe, and in fourth place are Almasy and Heartilly. The second round of the competition will begin tomorrow night. Thanks for watching and goodnight everyone!"

******************************************************************************************

"_Third_ place?!" Quistis shouted. "_Third_ place?! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Look, Quistis, I already apologized for my performance tonight. What else do you want from me?" Squall asked, annoyed.

"Oh, you _apologized_. What good is that to me? I don't see our names next to the first place mark." Quistis told him angrily. "This shit needs to stop."

"Listen, my head just wasn't in it tonight, okay?" Squall told her.

Her gaze softened. "Are you feeling alright? I didn't mean to scream at you, but I'm frustrated." _With more things than you know._

"I don't know, maybe." Squall shrugged. "I'm going to bed." he turned to go.

Quistis grabbed his hand. "Wait for me. Just let me go and change." She grinned seductively.

Squall shook his head. "There's a reason why we have our own rooms, Quistis. _Goodnight_." He said firmly as he walked out of her room.

Quistis gritted her teeth. "You don't know what you're missing, Squall..."

Author's Note: Well, that's it for the first chapter. I have so many ideas for this story, but I guess I'll have to see where it goes. Please tell me what you think!

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	2. Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed! Here's chapter two.

On the Ice

Chapter 2- Revelations

Squall Leonhart woke up the next morning and sighed. What was he doing here, and why? He had always loved skating. Squall could remember when he was young, his sister Ellone had taught him to skate. He had picked up the skill quickly and it had been a love of his ever since. The thing was, Squall wasn't sure that this was where he wanted to be. Sure, people said he was living his dream, but then why didn't it feel right? There was something missing...something making him unhappy...

"Squall! Why are you still in bed?" Quistis demanded as she burst into the room. "We need to get a move on so that we can practice at the arena!"

"Sorry," He mumbled. "I guess I overslept."

Quistis rolled her eyes. "Just get up. I'll be in my room." She announced as she walked away.

Grumbling, Squall crawled out of bed and into a hot shower. _Maybe ice skating isn't for me. Maybe all along, I've been doing the wrong thing. _Squall shook his head, trying to rid himself of his thoughts. _You're being ridiculous. Of course this is what you're supposed to be doing. _"Then why does it feel so _wrong_?!" He shouted.

_I can't believe that I'm talking to myself now. _Squall shut off the water and got out of the shower. _This isn't working at all. If we want to win tonight, I have to clear my head._ A sudden thought of the girl at the arena yesterday popped into his mind. _What was her name...Rinoa? It's her fault we came in third yesterday. _He was starting to sound like Quistis, and he knew it.

As if she could read his mind, Quistis walked into the room. Her eyes were greeted by the sight of a shirtless Squall. His hair was damp and hanging into his eyes, and he looked _hot_! _Wow! _Quistis looked up at him sweetly. "You know...we don't have to hit the arena right away... We can just stay here for awhile..."

Squall pulled a shirt over his head and picked up the bag with his equipment. "Let's go, Quistis."

Sighing, Quistis grabbed her bag and followed Squall out of the room.

******************************************************************************************

Rinoa walked down the hall, her head held high. Seifer had barely spoken to her, and now she was silently following him into the locker room. She wanted to confront him, but she just couldn't bring herself to. With her mother dead, and not having seen her father in three years, Seifer was all she had. Deep inside her heart, she knew what Seifer was all about, but she just couldn't face the truth.

"I'm going to get some coffee." Seifer announced. "You wait here."

Rinoa nodded and watched as Seifer exited the room. Curiosity got the best of her, though, and she followed him silently. As soon as she saw the direction he was going, Rinoa knew Seifer was not getting coffee. He stopped in front of a door, and Rinoa realized that it was the same door her had come out of yesterday. Rinoa ducked behind a crate as Seifer entered the room. _What the hell is in there?_

Fifteen minutes later, Rinoa was still in the same spot. She was beginning to loose her patience. Finally, Seifer exited the room and walked towards the cafeteria. _Now's my chance. _As soon as Seifer turned the corner, Rinoa ran into the room that Seifer had just come out of. The room was dark, and Rinoa searched around for a light switch. Finally finding one, she turned it on, and gasped at the sight in front of her. Hundreds of pictures were taped all around the walls of the room...pictures of a woman. As Rinoa inspected the pictures closer, she realized that the woman was none other than, "Quistis?" 

Rinoa closed her eyes as a sudden realization dawned on her. _Quistis _was the one that had distracted Seifer the day before. Seifer had made this shrine for her! Rinoa suddenly felt the urge to throw up, and quickly ran out of the room...and smack dab into someone.

_This is starting to become a habit._ Rinoa thought irritably. "Sorry about that." Rinoa apologized as she dusted herself off.

"Don't worry about it. it looks like your mind was preoccupied. I'm Zell, by the way." The man told her.

"I'm Rinoa. How do you know I have a lot on my mind?"

"Why else would you be bumping into people?" Zell asked. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I don't think anyone can help me now. It's up to me to stand up to my boyfriend, Seifer." Rinoa told him.

"Well, good luck. I'm a part of the crew, so if you ever need a friend, you know where to find me."

"Thank you, Zell. Maybe I'll take you up on that offer later. Bye." _It's time to face Seifer..._

******************************************************************************************

"Hey there, you look familiar." Quistis smiled.

"Yeah, long time no see." Seifer grinned.

"So, are you ready to show me what this big surprise of yours is?" Quistis asked sweetly.

"Oh, you bet. Let's go."

"Excuse me, Seifer?" Rinoa said as she came barging into the room. "May I have a word with you?"

Seifer rolled his eyes and turned to Quistis. "This won't take long. Wait for me in the hall, ok?" Nodding, Quistis left the room. "What is it, Rinoa?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Rinoa said sweetly. "Maybe I was wondering when you would tell me about you and Quistis."

"So? Can't a man have two women?" Seifer smirked.

"So you're not even going to deny it?" Rinoa asked, outraged. "You've been cheating on me the whole time, and with the competition!" 

"Rinoa, give it up." Seifer told her. "Give me a break, will ya? You're the one that wants to play hard to get, and that act gets old fast. I had to find someone who was willing to give it up."

"You're a pig!" Rinoa shouted, clearly disgusted. "I can't believe I ever trusted you! Robert was right, you are weighing down on me...but not anymore. You and me, Seifer? We're _through_, get it? It's over!"

"Wait a minute!" Seifer shouted. "What about the skating? I'm your partner, and I'm also all you have. Who are you going to run to? This is your career, Rinoa, and I know you won't give it up."

"Well I guess you don't know me as well as you thought you did." Rinoa snapped. "I'd rather live out on the streets then have to see your face again! Have a great life with Quistis, Seifer!" That said, Rinoa turned on her heel and left.

"Is the coast clear?" Quistis asked as she entered the room cautiously.

"Yeah, she's gone. She didn't take the news of us too well, though." Seifer told her.

"I imagine that Squall will act in the same manner. He is _nothing_ without me, but I can't take it anymore. How can he resist my charm?"

"Now, _that_ is a mystery to me." Seifer said as he wrapped his arms around her. "_No one _can resist your charm." He whispered into her ear.

Quistis smiled. "How about you show me that surprise now?" She purred.

"Of course, follow me." Seifer said as he led Quistis down the hallway. "In here." He opened the door and escorted her into the room.

Quistis looked around her in astonishment. "This is how you feel about me, Seifer?"

Seifer ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Oh, Seifer!" Quistis exclaimed happily as her lips met his and they engaged in a passionate kiss.

******************************************************************************************

Rinoa sat by the side of the rink and watched as Squall warmed up on the ice. Without Quistis by his side, he looked wonderful. He was extremely graceful and did not make a single mistake. _God, he's gorgeous. _Rinoa thought to herself. _What does he see in someone like Quistis?_

"Hey." Rinoa looked up and was startled to find that Squall had skated up to her. "Have you seen Quistis?"

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I've seen her, but you might not be too happy to hear where your girlfriend is."

"Quistis isn't my girlfriend." Squall told her.

Rinoa looked surprised. "She's not?"

"We're just partners." Squall said. "What did you mean when you said I wouldn't like where Quistis is?"

Rinoa sighed. "I just found out that my boyfriend, and partner, Seifer, has been cheating on me...with Quistis."

Now it was Squall's turn to look surprised. "Are you sure?"

Rinoa nodded. "Seifer didn't even deny it."

Squall shook his head. "I'm not exactly surprised that she would do something like that, but...well, she was always trying to get us together."

"Maybe you drove her off." Rinoa suggested. "Either way, I'm better off without him. There goes my skating career, though."

"What do you mean?" Squall asked.

"I'm a pairs skater and I now have no partner. Where does that leave me?"

"You could always become a singles skater." Squall told her.

Rinoa shook her head. "No, that wouldn't work out for me. When I'm alone...I just loose all of my confidence. I would make a horrible singles skater."

"Well, who knows? Maybe I'll be joining your situation soon. I just really need to talk to Quistis right now. I'm not so sure things are going to be okay between us, either."

"Okay, then. I guess I'll see you around?"

"Maybe." Squall told her. "Now, to face the devil's wrath."

Rinoa laughed. "Good luck."

Author's Note: Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. Thanks for reading, and please review ^_^


	3. Decisions

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Thank you SO much to everyone who supported me against that flamer. You can't even begin to imagine how much your kind words mean to me. I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to get out, but here it is, finally. I hope that you all enjoy it, and please don't forget to review. Thanks again ^_^

On the Ice

Chapter 3- Decisions 

"Squall, what the hell are you doing?" Quistis demanded. "You do know that we haven't practiced all day, right? Why are you just sitting there? We have work to do!"

Squall got up from where he was sitting and faced Quistis. Looking straight into her eyes, he said, "Is there anything you want to tell me, Quistis?"

Confused, Quistis replied, "No...is something the matter? You're not sick, are you?"

Squall shook his head. "Since you're not going to say anything, allow me to say it for you. Although I must admit that you had me fooled for a while. All the times you were coming onto me...I thought you were serious. Turns out that all along you've been sleeping with the other side."

"What are you talking about, Squall?" Quistis asked angrily. "If you have something to say to me, then just say it!"

"I think you know what I'm talking about, Quistis. Are you going to tell me that _Seifer Almasy _means nothing to you?"

Quistis' eyes widened. "How did you know?" She whispered.

Squall shook his head. "Did you think that I wouldn't find out? I can't say that this really surprises me, but still... I thought you were better than that, Quistis."

"That little bitch told you, didn't she?" Quistis shrieked. "I knew she was trouble from the moment I saw her!"

"Whatever, Quistis. You can do whatever the hell you want because I don't really care anymore. Just don't every talk to me again. It would be a blessing if I never had to see you again, but since that's probably not possible, I'll have to settle for never hearing you utter my name." Squall said, his voice dripping with hatred.

"Don't you act like this is all my fault, Squall! _You're _the one that had to be so damn stubborn! I did everything to get you, and still, you resisted. It's about time that I moved on to bigger and better things. Seifer can give me all the things you _dream _that you could." Quistis told him.

Squall shrugged. "Then have a nice time with him, Quistis. Maybe this is the boost in your career that you need. Although I think that it might not be so easy to practice a first-time routine with someone in less than twenty-four hours. Good luck, though." He said sarcastically, and turned to walk away.

"Squall!" Quistis shrieked. "Get back here! You are finishing this competition with me whether you like it or not!" Ignoring her, Squall kept on walking. "Squall! It's not only my career that's on the line! If you forfeit this competition, you're screwed, too!"

"Am I, really?" Squall called over his shoulder. "Oh well..." He said as he continued to walk away, until he was out of sight. 

"Damn him!" Quistis shouted as she threw a chair against the wall. "He is _not _going to get away with this! Nobody acts like that towards Quistis Trepe!" That said, she marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

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Rinoa looked around her one last time. She hadn't the slightest idea as to when she would return to this arena. Things were not looking good for her at all. Sighing, she picked up the bag that held all her equipment, and walked out of the arena. There were so many good memories, but now there seemed to be only bad ones. Why did things have to get so complicated? She wondered how things were going between Squall and Quistis. Personally, she hoped that Squall would have the good sense to leave her, but who knows what was going to happen...

She spotted her car, and being sprinting towards it. She couldn't wait to go home...back in Deling City. People would most likely gossip about what had happened, especially when she didn't show up for the competition that night. Sighing again, she opened the trunk and threw in her bag. Just as she was about to open the door to her car, she heard someone calling her name. Turing around, she was surprised to see that it was Squall.

"I'm glad that I caught you before you left." Squall said, panting heavily.

Rinoa couldn't help but smile. "Um, do you want some water? You look like you could use it."

Squall shook his head. "I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you that I talked to Quistis."

"And...?" Rinoa prompted.

"Like Seifer, she didn't deny anything." Squall told her. "I told her that I never wanted to hear her voice again." 

Rinoa snorted. "You told her that? I wish I could have been there to see the look on her face!"

Squall smiled slightly. "Yeah...well, I, uh, also wanted to tell you not to lose confidence in yourself. I mean, you're a great skater, and just because Seifer doesn't think so shouldn't let you down."

"Really?" Rinoa said happily. "You think I'm a good skater?"

"Seriously, I'm upset because of what Quistis did, and I wasn't even romantically involved with her. It must be a lot harder for you..." Squall shook his head. "I've never been good at these things. Sorry."

"No, it's alright. I really appreciate what you said. I mean, you could have just let me leave." Rinoa told him.

"Yeah, well, there was something else that I wanted to ask you." He said quietly.

"Really? What is it?" Rinoa asked anxiously.

"I know you don't have a partner right now, and you're not sure where your career stands. I was just wondering...do you want to team up with me?"

"Oh, I get it. Butter me up with compliments and pretend to act genuine so that I'll be your partner." Rinoa said angrily.

"Rinoa, that's not it at all! I meant everything that I just said to you. I'm serious about this." Squall told her.

"Are you serious, Squall? Because I really need to know. I can't team up with you if I can't trust you. Tell me the truth, do you want to be my partner because you think I'm a good skater, or because you feel bad for me?"

"Rinoa, I told you that you're an excellent skater. I don't feel bad for you at all. I know that what just happened to you is hard, but from the way I've seen you act, I have a strong feeling that it wouldn't set you back. Honestly, I would be honored if you said yes."

Rinoa looked down shyly. The way Squall said it, she believed him. She wanted to put up her guard...after what Seifer did to her, she had every right to. But for some reason, she found herself trusting him. "Okay." She told him. "I'll be your partner."

Squall grinned. "Great! I really meant what I said, Rinoa. I won't let you down."

Rinoa smiled. "Well, I guess I'll have to see about that. Anyway, I should really get going. I was going to head home tonight, but I guess I'll stick around now. I'm staying at the Morning View Hotel, so I guess I'll meet up with you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'm at the Fortune Inn, which I think is pretty close to where you're staying. Obviously we wont be in this tournament anymore, so we can discuss everything tomorrow."

"Sounds good. I guess I should get going. They are broadcasting tonight's tournament, right?" She asked.

"I think so, why?"

Rinoa grinned. "Oh, I just can't wait to see Seifer and Quistis make complete fools out of themselves."

Squall's face fell. "Damn."

"What is it?" Rinoa asked. "I thought you'd be happy about that."

"It's not that. Quistis, being the cheap person that she is, got us rooms without TV's at the hotel. Looks like I won't be watching it after all." Squall said, regret in his voice.

"Hey, that's alight! You can come and watch it with me! I have a TV in my room." Rinoa told him.

"Are you sure you're alright with that?" Squall asked.

"Of course!" She exclaimed. "Come on, Squall, please? It'll be fun, seeing them get publicly humiliated. Don't you think it would be even funnier if we watched it together?"

"Together?" Squall asked. That was a foreign word to him. He usually avoided doing things with other people, but with Rinoa, it seemed different. Maybe he would actually have fun. _Wow, fun now, Squall? What has gotten into you? _"Okay. Let's do it."

"Good! Come one over around 5:30, okay?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall nodded. "I'll see you in a little while then."

"Okay, see ya!" Rinoa said as she waved and got into her car. _Things are finally looking up!_

******************************************************************************************

Quistis was extremely nervous. She couldn't remember ever being this nervous in her life. She would _not_ allow herself to be humiliated in front of all those people. Her and Seifer had spent the whole day going over a routine. They had talked to the administration, and it had been decided that they would be in third place position, as a new team. Quistis could deal with being in third place...for now, but what she couldn't deal with was making a fool of herself. 

"Seifer, do you really think we're going to be able to pull this off?" She asked skeptically.

Seifer smiled. "Don't worry, Quistis. Have a little faith in me...in us. I mean, this is you and me we're talking about! We'll be fine!"

Quistis smiled, feeling better already. "You're right, Seifer. Honestly, the biggest mistake I ever made was hanging around Squall for so long, when it should have been you. I don't know what I ever saw in him."

"The same thing applies to Rinoa. I don't know why we're worrying about it, though. They're the ones that are out of a job." Seifer smiled. "Tonight, we'll introduce the world to the pair that will dominate all of skating. It's our time to shine, baby."

"Yes." Quistis said happily. "We'll be the ones on top! No one will be able to stop us! Squall and Rinoa are nothing but distant memories, soon to fade into nothingness. Seifer and Quistis will be chanted throughout the arena, Almasy and Trepe, the names in every newspaper!"

Seifer wrapped his arms around Quistis' waist. "Yeah, baby, you tell 'em. No one can stop us now."

Author's Note: Yikes! I really feel that this chapter is nothing but crap! I hope I'm not getting writer's block again. Also, I know that Squall is OOC in this fic, but I think his personality fits this fic, although it may not exactly fit him. I know that seems really confusing, but hopefully it will all come together as the story goes on.


	4. Trust

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Well, I've finally managed to continue with this. I would just like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to every single person that reviewed or e-mailed me encouraging me to continue. You all helped me get through a really trying time. I have set my account not to allow anonymous reviews. I am sorry to any of the people who have been reviewing anonymously, but because of the comments I had been receiving, I was forced to block anonymous reviews. Unfortunately, because of how busy I've been lately with my schoolwork, updates might take even longer than usual. I try to update every weekend, but it looks like that might not be possible for a while. Also, I've decided that I'm only going to include Author's notes in the beginning of the chapter, and not the end, as well. Again, I'm really sorry, but thank you to everyone for bearing with me this whole time.

On the Ice

Chapter 4- Trust

Rinoa paced the length of her hotel room nervously. Squall would be arriving any time now. _Why does that make me so nervous? We're just going to watch the competition. _She stared at her reflection in the mirror. _He's coming to my hotel room! I have every right to be nervous! _She told herself. _But why? He's just your partner...maybe your friend. You're not supposed to get this worked up over a friend! _

Sighing, Rinoa sat down and began combing her hair. _You're the one that invited him here. _She reminded herself. _He was the one that seemed uncomfortable with the idea. But you had to go open your big mouth and convince him to come._

Rinoa was startled out of her thoughts by a nock at the door. "Just a minute!" She hurriedly got up, and with one final look in the mirror, she opened the door. "Seifer!" She gasped.

"Were you expecting someone else?" He smirked.

"I-I...what are you doing here?" She managed to get out.

"Let me guess...you thought I'd be at the competition right now." Seifer took Rinoa's silence as a yes. "Don't worry, I'll be there. I just thought I'd come and see you before the big night."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "What the hell do you want, Seifer? You still haven't answered my question."

"What do I want?" Seifer repeated. "I thought that would be obvious. I want _you_, Rinoa."

She shook her head disgustedly. "Oh really? If you want me so much, then why have you been with Quistis this whole time? You know, I can't even believe this! Did our earlier conversation mean nothing to you?"

Seifer walked into the room and shut the door behind him. "I made a mistake," He said as he stroked her cheek. "I belong with you...not Quistis." He said softly.

Rinoa didn't have a chance to respond as his lips crashed down on hers hungrily. She wanted desperately to pull away, but old emotions resurfaced and she found herself kissing him back. Rinoa felt herself succumbing to Seifer's charms as he deepened the kiss. A nock on the door, however, brought her back to reality and she pushed Seifer off of her.

"Get out of here, Seifer!" Rinoa ordered him, trying to compose herself.

"That's not what you want, Rinoa. Don't deny it..." Seifer said as he reached for her again.

"Let go of me!" She shouted. "I meant what I said. Get out!" A second nock on the door drew her attention away from Seifer. Rinoa ran to the door and flung it open irritably. "Squall..." In all the commotion with Seifer, she had completely forgotten that Squall was supposed to be coming over.

"Rinoa, is everything okay?" Squall asked, genuinely concerned.

"She's fine," Seifer said as he stepped into Squall's view. "Isn't that right, Rinoa?"

"I told you to get out!" Rinoa said angrily. "Now _leave_."

"Whatever you say, _princess_, but just remember, we can continue what we started anytime. You know where to find me." With a final smirk, Seifer left.

Rinoa turned to Squall. "I know what this looks like, Squall, but it's not what you think."

"Your romantic life is none of my business." Squall told her. "What I need to know is...can I trust you?"

"Of course you can trust me, Squall! Don't ever question that."

"This isn't a game, Rinoa. I don't know what the hell just went on between you and Seifer, but if you're going to be with him, then I don't think I should be here." Squall told her.

"Squall," Rinoa said gently, "I'm sorry that you think I've betrayed you. I know it looks bad, but I'm not involved with Seifer anymore. He came here thinking that he could stir up any old feelings that I had for him, and I'll be honest with you...it almost worked." 

Squall's gaze was cold. "Almost worked? Rinoa, this isn't tug-of-war! I need to know that this is going to work. I'll ask you again, can I trust you?"

"And I'll tell you again. Yes, you can trust me, Squall. Tonight was just a stupid mistake. Seifer has _no place _in my future." She told him honestly.

Squall nodded. "Alright, I believe you, Rinoa. Now, are you going to let me in or what?"

Rinoa smiled. "Of course! Come on in." She moved to the side and shut the door as Squall entered the room. "I was thinking...Seifer knows where to find me. After tonight, I should probably move to a new hotel."

"That's not a bad idea. I should probably do the same thing. I don't want to be anywhere near Quistis right now."

"Um...since we're going to be partners, shouldn't we stay at the same place?" Rinoa asked.

Squall nodded. "We can take care of it tomorrow."

"Sounds good." Rinoa grabbed the remote and turned the TV on. "The competition should be on soon."

"You don't sound too happy about that," Squall pointed out.

Rinoa shook her head. "It's not that I'm not happy...I'm just nervous. What if Seifer and Quistis put on a great performance? Maybe I underestimated them."

"Rinoa, I used to attend a military academy. The one thing they always stressed was to never underestimate the enemy. What I'm trying to say is, we shouldn't underestimate Seifer and Quistis, but think about it. Their chance aren't good. They've barely had time to practice and they're new to each other. They don't know each other's ways yet."

"I guess you're right." Rinoa smiled and then hugged Squall tightly. Sensing his discomfort, she let go.

"What was that for?" Squall asked.

Rinoa blushed. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have done that. You just...you surprised me. Thank you for making me feel better."

Squall ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably. "Well, I'm glad that you're feeling better."

"Oh, look! It's starting!" Rinoa exclaimed. "I guess this is it, huh?"

"Not yet. Quistis and Seifer will be skating last, so we still have some time," Squall told her.

Rinoa sighed. "If I don't die from nerves first!"

"Would you rather be there?" Squall asked. "Waiting to compete in front of everyone?"

"It's funny...I seem to be more nervous now than I am before performing. But once I get out there...it's like I'm in a different world. I can be completely relaxed with myself and I just feel _whole_." Rinoa shrugged. "It probably doesn't make any sense...and I'm not sure how else I can explain it."

"No, that makes perfect sense because I've been there. That's why I love skating so much. You get into that zone and nothing can take away that feeling..." He trailed off.

Rinoa just stared at him. "Wow..."

"What?" Squall asked, confused. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You understand," Rinoa whispered. "I mean, you really understand what it feels like. Seifer...he never got that."

Squall turned his gaze to the TV. He needed to look anywhere other than Rinoa's face. The look she was giving him was piercing his soul. "Look...it really is starting this time."

Rinoa nodded. "This really is it."

******************************************************************************************

"Where were you?" Quistis demanded, her tone accusing. 

Seifer rolled his eyes. "I went to get something. I told you that I was going to be gone for awhile."

Quistis sighed. "Then what did you get? I still haven't seen anything, Seifer."

"Well, I was going to give these to you after our performance, but..." Seifer trailed off as he drew out a bouquet of a dozen roses and presented them to Quistis.

"Oh, Seifer!" Quistis gasped. "I'm sorry that I questioned you. It's just that I thought..."

Seifer shook his head. "Don't worry, I know. Now, are you ready to blow the socks off these people?"

Quistis smiled. "Of course! Let's do this!"

"Our next competitors are Quistis Trepe and Seifer Almasy!" The announcer's voice boomed throughout the arena. "You may remember Quistis' former partner, Squall Leonhart, and Seifer's former partner, Rinoa Heartilly. Both have unexpectedly quit the competition. Will the new team of Seifer and Quistis have better luck? We'll just have to watch and see!"

Quistis and Seifer skated onto the ice hand in hand and all smiles. It was clear just by looking at them that they were full of confidence, although Seifer was being very cocky. They took their places and the music started up. They pushed off the ice smoothly and were completely in sync with each other. Their first jump approached and they nailed it perfectly. Their second jump, however, was a little wobbly. After that, Seifer seemed to be moving at a much faster pace than Quistis. Their final jump wasn't perfect, but not horrible, either. The music ended, they took their final bows, and skated off the ice.

"Can Almasy and Trepe take the lead? Here come their scores!" The announcer said excitedly. 

"The technical marks for Almasy and Trepe are: 5.7, 5.6, 5.7, 5.6, 5.6, 5.7." The crowd applauded and the scores continued. "The artistic marks for Almasy and Trepe are: 5.6, 5.5, 5.5, 5.6, 5.6, 5.5." 

"Reasonable marks for Almasy and Trepe. This will put them in second place. Join us here Saturday night for the final round of the competition."

Back in the locker room, Seifer and Quistis were pretty pleased with themselves. "We could have done better," Seifer said, "But second place is what we need right now. All we have to do is kick Kinneas and Tilmitt out of first place Saturday night."

Quistis nodded her approval. "It's a done deal."

******************************************************************************************

Rinoa yawned. "Well, they did pretty well for themselves... It looks like they could be a challenge."

Squall nodded. "You seem really tired. We can worry about it in the morning."

"Yeah, I just hope that Seifer doesn't come back here..." _Who knows what could happen?_

"Do you think he would hurt you?" Squall asked, clearly concerned.

"I don't know..." Rinoa answered truthfully. "Squall...I'm scared. I don't know what he might do."

Squall sighed. _Damn...I wish that my hotel room was closer to here..._

"I know I have no right to ask you this, but could you stay with me tonight?" Rinoa asked shyly.

Squall sighed again. _Stay with her...? I don't want her to get hurt... _"Okay, but just this once. Tomorrow we'll find somewhere else to stay."

"Thanks, Squall!" Rinoa said as she embraced him tightly for the second time that night.

"Don't worry about it." Squall said uncomfortably. 

Rinoa released him and looked at him shyly. "Um...you could sleep in the bed. I'll take the floor."

Squall shook his head. "No, you take the bed. Don't worry, I'll be fine on the floor." He joked.

Rinoa smiled. "Are you sure?" Squall nodded. "Alright, I'm going to go change." Rinoa disappeared into the bathroom.

While Rinoa was in the bathroom, Squall took off his jacket and put it over a chair. _I can't believe I'm doing this. _Squall shook his head.

Moments later, Rinoa came out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of flannel pants and a t-shirt. "Here," Rinoa said as she tossed him a pillow and blanket. "Are you sure you're alright with sleeping on the floor?"

Squall rolled his eyes. "Yes, Rinoa, I'm sure."

"Alright then, goodnight." Rinoa said as she turned off the light and snuggled deep under her covers.

"Goodnight."

~*~


	5. Settling In

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: All I can say is thank God for study hall! Because of the growing number of teachers who are sick, I had some free periods in school when I was able to write this. Also, I just started a Livejournal, so check my FF.net profile for more info on that, since I'll be using it to talk about fanfiction, as well as other things. I hope you enjoy this chapter, although it's on the short side...

On the Ice

Chapter 5- Settling In

The next morning, Rinoa woke up to find a man sleeping on the floor. Forcing back a scream, she studied him closer and then realized it was Squall. She sighed in relief, remembering her pleas to Squall to stay the night. As far as she knew, Seifer hadn't shown, but then again, she had slept so peacefully that a knock on the door probably wouldn't have woken her up.

Looking at the clock, she saw that it was 8:00. She decided to get up and get dressed. Squall looked so adorable sleeping like that...she didn't have the heart to wake him up. Smiling, she pulled some clothes out of her suitcase and went into the bathroom to change. She was in an extremely good mood, which surprised her, considering Quistis and Seifer had done pretty well for themselves the previous night.

Running her brush through her hair, she decided she was presentable and exited the bathroom quietly. Squall was still sleeping and Rinoa took the opportunity to really study him. She took in his tousled brown hair and his flawless skin. Flawless...except for a single diagonal scar between his eyes. Rinoa felt drawn to the scar, and she found herself reaching out to touch it.

As soon as Rinoa's fingers lightly brushed his face, Squall's eyes shot open, giving her a confused look. Rinoa blushed. "S-sorry," She stammered, "I didn't mean to wake you."

Squall shook his head and sat up. "What were you doing?"

The question made Rinoa turn even redder. "I was looking at your scar. Where did you get it?"

"I don't know," Squall told her. "I've had it all of my life."

"Oh..." Was all Rinoa said. An uncomfortable silence followed. "Uh...maybe you should get up. We have a lot to do today."

Squall nodded and lifted himself off the floor. "You should pack your things. Then, we'll stop at my hotel to pick up my stuff. Unless you'd rather meet somewhere..."

Rinoa shook her head. "That's fine. I'd rather stay with you, if that's okay."

"Alright. Then let's get ready."

******************************************************************************************

An hour and a half later, Squall and Rinoa stood outside of the Red Rose Inn, located in central Dollet. After much consideration, they had decided that this would be a good place to stay. They walked in and approached the woman behind the counter.

"Hello! Welcome to the Red Rose Inn," The woman greeted. "How may I help you?"

"We need two rooms for a couple of nights," Squall told her.

The woman typed on her computer and then said, "I'm sorry, but we only have one room available right now. However, it's one of our best...a complimentary suite. Would you like to take that?"

Squall turned to Rinoa, a questioning look on his face. Rinoa nodded and smiled gently. "Okay, we'll take it." He told her.

"Thank you. That'll be 200 gil a night." Squall handed her the money. "Here's your key. I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Thank you." Squall and Rinoa got into the elevator with their bags and took it up to the third floor. "We're in room 122."

Rinoa looked up at the numbers on each door...118, 120, 122. "Here we are," She announced.

Squall put the card key into the door and it opened, revealing a fairly large room. They stood in a living area with two couches and a TV. To their right was a small kitchen area with a table, stove, and mini refrigerator. To their right was a door which led into the bedroom. Upon further inspection, they discovered that the room contained a large bed, as expected. To the left of the bedroom was a good sized bathroom, outfitted with a shower and a bathtub. Rinoa's favorite part, however, was the balcony that ran alongside the whole room. You could go out the balcony through the doors in the bedroom or living area.

"Not bad," Squall said. "I mean, for 200 gil, this is pretty nice."

Rinoa sighed happily. "It sure is. Too bad we can't stay here, though."

Squall gave her a confused look. "Why? I thought you liked it here."

"I do," Rinoa reassured him. "I just meant that we have to leave. Remember? You said we'd head to the arena today."

Recognition dawned on Squall's features. "I almost forgot about that. We;;, do you want to go now? We're going to have to meet my coach...unless you'd rather stick with yours?"

"Were you close to your coach?" Rinoa asked.

Squall nodded. "I've known him for a long time. He's like a father to me."

"I was never that close to my coach. Actually, I've been through a lot of coaches. I never really clicked with any of them, you know? Seifer hired my previous coach, Robert, just a year ago. Let's go with your coach." Rinoa told him

"Okay. Are you ready?"

"Of course! Let's go!"

******************************************************************************************

"Rinoa, hey! Long time no see!" Selphie greeted her happily.

Rinoa laughed. "You're right about that. Things have been really hectic lately." She smiled. "Everything seems to be great for you and...Irvine is it?"

"Yup! Irvy's my partner! I can't believe we're in first place, though. We've never won a championship before."

"Well, good luck. I'm sure that you can take home the gold." Rinoa assured her.

"Can I ask you a question?" Rinoa nodded. "Why did you really drop out of the competition?"

"You don't know?" Rinoa asked, surprised.

"Well, rumors have been flying around, but I wanted to ask you personally. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Rinoa shook her head. "I don't mind. The reason why I quit was because I found out that my partner, Seifer, was cheating on me with Quistis Trepe. It wasn't only that, though. The thing is, Seifer only cares about himself and he's going to do what's best for _him_. The best thing I could do was call it quits."

Selphie nodded. "I completely understand, and I can relate. Irvine's a ladies man, and I can't even count the number of times he's made me jealous. But if I ever found out that he cheated one me..." She trailed off. "I would be devastated, to say the least. Do you plan on competing any time soon?"

Rinoa shrugged. "Of course I want to compete again, but as to when, I have no idea. I'll have to talk it over with Squall."

"So it's true? You have teamed up with Squall Leonhart?"

"Yes. Hopefully things will be uphill from here. Speaking of which, I have to head onto the ice. I'm going to meet Squall's coach."

"Oh, Cid Kramer! He's such a nice man." Selphie told her. "His wife, Edea, is actually our coach."

"Really? Doesn't it bother them that they're on opposing sides?"

"Nah, not them. They enjoy the challenge, and they're both excellent coaches. Anyway, I wont keep you any longer. Good luck!"

"Thanks! Bye!" Rinoa waved and headed down the hallway to the main rink. She spotted Squall off to the side, talking to a middle-aged man.

"Rinoa, this is my coach, Cid Kramer." Squall told her.

Rinoa shook his hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you. I'm Rinoa Heartilly."

"Ah, yes. I've seen the way you skate and you have amazing potential. Will I have the honor of coaching you as well?"

Rinoa nodded. "Squall and I wish to have the best coach possible, and I hear you're the best."

Cid chuckled. "Don't let my wife hear you say that. Well, shall we get started?"

Squall nodded. "We're going to need an original routine...one that no one else will have. Do you think we can pull this off?"

Cid nodded. "Now, this is what I want you to do..."

******************************************************************************************

Three hours later, Rinoa and Squall were exhausted. They had been practicing non-stop and the first part of their routine was starting to take shape.

"Nice work, you two," Cid told them. "I'm going to go see if I can find my wife, but you two can keep practicing if you want. However," He looked at his watch, "The other groups will need the ice in fifteen minutes, so watch your time. See you tomorrow." He called over his shoulder as he left.

"You up to fifteen more minutes of practice?" Squall asked Rinoa.

She laughed. "I'm pretty tired, but can we work on that double axle throw again? I can't seem to get it right."

"No problem." They took their positions on the ice and picked up speed. Squall lifted Rinoa and threw her into the air. She spun around twice, but then landed awkwardly.

"Let's try that one more time." They repeated the move, but this time when Squall threw Rinoa, she landed it perfectly. "I did it!" She exclaimed happily as she ran up to Squall and hugged him. "I trusted you not to drop me, and it worked."

"You trust me?" Squall asked.

Rinoa smiled. "Yes."

"Good." And then his lips were on hers and the world seemed to stop.

~*~


	6. Confusion

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: I am extremely sorry for how long it has been taking me to update this fic lately. I've had writer's block for the past two weeks and I'm not entirely sure if it's over yet, seeing as to how I really don't like this chapter. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing. I'm glad that a lot of you think that the kiss was sudden, because that's exactly how I intended it to be. I'd also like to give a special thank you to OnemoreSquall. Thanks for making me aware that the ice has to be cleaned every hour. If you have any more skating techniques I could use in this fic, I'd love to hear them! Also, I have my Livejournal up and I have been updating it pretty regularly. Here's the link if anyone wants to check it out: . 

On the Ice

Chapter 6- Confusion

They parted and Rinoa touched her lips in a daze. _Did that really just happen? _"Squall..." She began.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Rinoa. I don't know why I did that... I _shouldn't_ have done that."

"It's okay," Rinoa assured him. "I mean, it's more than okay. What I'm trying to say is...could you kiss me again?"

Squall stared at her in shock. _She's not offended? _"I, uh, I don't know."

"Oh," Rinoa's face fell. "I understand. It was just one of those spur of the moment things."

"Yes," He nodded. Then, seeing the look on her face, he quickly said, "No! That's not what it was at all."

"Then what was it, Squall?" She asked quietly. "Why did you kiss me?"

Squall shook his head. "I don't know, Rinoa. What do you want from me?" He asked, exasperated.

"What do I want?" Rinoa practically shouted. "I want an explanation, damn it! Or do you just go around kissing girls without giving them a second thought?"

Squall sighed. "I don't have an explanation to give you, Rinoa."

"So that's it, huh? I _am _just another girl to you! Hell with the sympathy act and the 'let's be partners' deal. You were only after one thing and now you got it. You happy?"

"Rinoa, please, it's not like that. You have to trust me," he pleaded.

"There are those words again. Trust me and everything will be okay." Rinoa ran a finger down Squall's chest seductively. "You've got me," she whispered.

"Rinoa," Squall gulped, "Why are you acting like this?"

"What? You don't like this, Squall? Kiss me," She demanded.

This time Squall complied. The feeling of her mouth on his was like heaven. Everything about her was intoxicating. Suddenly, Rinoa pulled away. Squall gave her a confused look.

"I...I'll see you later," She managed to say as she turned and fled from the arena.

Squall stood rooted to the spot, feeling more confused than ever.

******************************************************************************************

Squall buried his head in his hands. He didn't want to go back to the hotel and face Rinoa, so he chose to stay in the locker room for awhile. Why had he kissed Rinoa? Regardless of what Rinoa thought, Squall hadn't kissed her just for the hell of it. Something had come over him and now he felt so vulnerable.

_You asshole. You made Rinoa leave and you hurt her badly. For what? You felt something for her. No, you feel something for her. _He shook his head. This was never going to work. _I should never had kissed her..._

"Excuse me, Sir? Are you in tonight's competition?" A man, no older than Squall, asked.

"Uh, no," Squall answered.

"Hey buddy, are you okay? You seem really upset about something."

"You could say that." Squall looked up. "Why do you care?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you out. The name's Zell." He stuck out his hand. "Zell Dincht."

Squall looked at Zell's extended hand, but made no effort to return the gesture. "So why are you here?"

"I was sent to clear out the locker room. The skaters need to use this room, so you're going to have to leave." Zell told him.

"Fine." Squall got up.

"Let me guess...woman problems?"

".................."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No," Squall replied, "I don't." And with that, he turned and left the room.

******************************************************************************************

Rinoa stood on the balcony of her hotel room, gazing out at Dollet. A plethora of feelings ran through her. She still wasn't sure of what she felt towards Squall, and more importantly, what he felt towards her. _Why did he kiss me? _She sighed. Everything was so confusing. _What now? Have a romantic relationship with Squall while being his skating partner? I've tried that and it doesn't work out. I don't want to ruin what Squall and I have._

"What am I supposed to do?" Rinoa asked no one in particular. She had no idea as to how Squall felt about her. He could have kissed her just for the hell of it, but something told her that he wasn't the kind of person that would do that. _I have to talk to him. I really can't decide anything until I hear what he has to say. This time, I won't let him get away with saying "I don't know."_

Satisfied, Rinoa turned around...and bumped right into Squall. Feeling a strong sense of deja vu, she quickly said, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm staying here, too, remember?"

Rinoa bit back an angry retort and simply said, "Yeah, I remember." She started to walk past him, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Rinoa, I need to talk to you," He pleaded.

Remembering her earlier vow to talk to Squall, she decided to hear him out. But that didn't mean she had to like it. "What do you want, Squall?"

He sighed. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Rinoa. You asked me why I kissed you, and I said I didn't know, but that's a lie. I kissed you because my heart told me to."

Rinoa stared at him. "Your heart told you to?" She asked skeptically.

"I'm attracted to you. I tried to make this purely professional, but I can't. I know you just ended a bad relationship, but I think this is different," He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. What I'm trying to say is that I think we should give this relationship a chance."

Rinoa smirked. "Well, Mr. Leonhart, you do know how to win a girl over."

Squall shook his head. "Not just any girl."

"Well..." She shifted uncomfortably. "I should apologize as well. I shouldn't have played with you either. I wanted so bad to hear an explanation, though."

"Now you have one."

"Yes," She smiled, "And it's more than I could ever have hoped for."

"You still haven't given me an answer, though." Squall reminded her.

"Like you don't know what I'm going to say," She teased. "Of course I think we should give it a go. There are many successful boyfriend/girlfriend teams out there. I'd like to be added to their number."

Squall grinned. "So do I. But for the time being, we're going to have to settle on working our asses off."

"Yes, if we want to be successful. Right now, though, we still have time before we have to head back to the arena to watch the competition. Are you hungry? Because I'm starving."

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry, too."

Rinoa clapped her hands. "Great! I'm going to make you the best meal you ever had!"

******************************************************************************************

"Irvy, what do you think about Seifer and Quistis?" Selphie asked as they warmed up backstage.

"What about them? They seem like they'll be tough competition, but so are we. I think we can beat 'em."

"Yeah, but what do you think of them as _people_?"

Irvine was puzzled. "As people? Well, I don't rightly know. I haven't really talked to them, although that Seifer seems kinda arrogant."

Selphie nodded. "I was talking to Rinoa earlier. Most of the rumors are true...Seifer did cheat on her. She's going to be partners with Squall Leonhart now."

Irvine whistled. "Seems to me like they're going to be some team. I'm sure Seifer and Quistis won't be too happy to go up against them."

"Tee-hee, I suppose not! There's just something about them that I don't like..."

"About Leonhart and Heartilly?" A voice asked. "I don't blame you. There's nothing to like about them." Seifer walked into the room, with Quistis following behind him.

"Actually, we weren't talking about Squall and Rinoa," Irvine told them.

"Yeah, we were talking about _you_!" Selphie exclaimed.

Seifer glared at her. "If I were you, I'd watch my mouth."

"Is that a threat?"

Quistis smiled cruelly. "Let's just say that you should _always _take Seifer seriously. We'll see who's talking trash after tonight's winner's announced."

"Yeah," Irvine said coolly. "We will see."

Seifer stared at him coldly. "Watch yourself, _Cowboy_. Those that associate themselves with Leonhart and Heartilly need to be taken care of."

"And what, precisely, do you plan to do?" Irvine asked.

"Seifer laughed. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough."

******************************************************************************************

Squall and Rinoa took their seats among the thousands of others that had come to watch the final round of the competition. It always amazed Rinoa that so many people shared her love of skating. When you were out there, the bigger the crowd the better. It allowed you to get pumped up and be filled with a great adrenaline rush. Rinoa sighed wistfully. She couldn't wait to be out there again.

Squall nudged her gently. "It's starting..."

Rinoa focused all of her attention to the ring of ice. First up were Anita Lawrence and Chris Baker. Since they were currently in third place, they got to skate first. They put their hearts into that performance and you could really tell. Unfortunately, their technical performance just wasn't up to par. Once they finished, they got their marks, which were just as Rinoa expected. Strong artistic marks, but low on the technical part.

Next up were Seifer and Quistis. Again, Seifer looked extremely cocky and too sure of himself. Quistis was all arrogant confidence. _What a pair they make! _Rinoa couldn't help thinking. The music started up and they were off. Rinoa noticed that their performance was a lot more sexy and flirtatious than before, and Rinoa could see how they had improved. The artistic portion was great, and the technical moves were flawless. They ended on an extremely happy note.

"Damn, that's going to be hard to beat," Rinoa whispered to Squall.

He nodded. "Here come their scores."

"The technical marks for Almasy and Trepe are: 5.9, 6.0, 6.0, 5.9, 6.0, 6.0." The crowd cheered. "The artistic marks for Almasy and Trepe are: 5.8, 6.0, 6.0, 5.9, 5.9, 5.9."

"Great marks for Almasy and Trepe!" The announcer exclaimed. "Will Kinneas and Tilmitt have what it takes to capture the gold?"

Irvine and Selphie skated onto the ice. They were all smiles and you could see the happiness emanating from them. Their performance was a jazzy number, very playful and fun. The crowd really got into it, and Rinoa found herself clapping along with the rest of them. They pulled off all their jumps with ease, especially the triple axle. The music ended and the crowd was on their feet. Selphie and Irvine took their bows and got ready to hear their scores.

"The technical marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 6.0, 6.0, 5.9, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0." The crowd roared with approval. "The artistic marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 6.0, 6.0, 5.9, 6.0, 5.9, 6.0."

"That makes Irvine Kinneas and Selphie Tilmitt the winners of this competition!" They jumped up and down, hugging each other excitedly. 

However, not everyone in the arena was celebrating. Off to the sidelines stood two figures, enraged with the outcome of the competition.

"This is not the last time they're gonna be hearing from us," Seifer promised.

~*~


	7. Warnings

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Well, since this week is April vacation, I've had much more time to work on this fic. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up this weekend. Thank you all so much for the reviews! I've been much more inspired to write this lately since I recently got tickets to the Bon Jovi/Goo Goo Dolls/Sheryl Crow concert in July. I'm extremely excited about that! Also, thanks so much for anyone who has been reading my live journal ^_^

On the Ice

Chapter 7- Warnings

"Congratulations!" Rinoa ran up to Selphie and gave her a hug. "You guys were great!"

Squall nodded his agreement and shook Irvine's hand. "You put up a good performance out there. You deserve the win."

"Thanks," Irvine said sincerely. "That means a lot coming from you."

"Hey, why don't we go out and celebrate?" Selphie suggested excitedly. "Let's all go out to dinner! It's on us!"

Rinoa shook her head. "_You're _the two that won! Dinner will be on us."

"On _us_?" Squall smirked. "Speak for yourself."

"Squall!" Rinoa hit him playfully. "Do you really expect me to pay for everyone's meal?"

Squall raised his hands defensively. "It was your idea, not mine."

"I've got a better idea. How about everyone pays for their own meal?" Irvine suggested.

Rinoa clapped her hands. "That sounds wonderful!"

"Tee-hee, great! Just let Irvine and me freshen up. Then, we can be off!" Selphie and Irvine disappeared into the locker room and Rinoa and Squall waited outside for them.

Rinoa sighed happily as they walked into the parking lot. "I'm so happy for them! I actually thought that Seifer and Quistis could have taken the win."

"Me too. But that goes to show that they're all talk." They approached Squall's car and got in.

"Exactly," Rinoa smiled. "So, when do you think we'll be back in competition?"

Squall shrugged. "Who knows? It depends on how hard and how much we work. To be honest, I don't really mind not competing for a while."

Rinoa looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean? You don't want to skate anymore?"

Squall sighed. "It's not that. I just don't mind being off for awhile and not having to face all the pressure."

She nodded. "I understand, but we're not really off. We're still training, and _you _might not be anxious to go back, but _I _am."

Squall turned to face Rinoa. "Can I ask you something?" She nodded. "Why are you my partner? I mean, out of all the skaters in the world, why stay with me?"

Rinoa frowned. "Well, for one, I love being around you. You're a great partner and a wonderful friend. I _want _to be a part of your life. Why is that so hard to believe?"

"No one ever has before. Everyone I ever cared about went away and left me alone. Every time I begin to trust someone, they leave me alone. Why haven't you left yet?"

"Oh, Squall..." Rinoa's heart broke. "I'm not going to leave you." She reached out and took his hands in hers. "I assure you, I have _no _intention of leaving."

"Are you sure? Because if you aren't, I don't want you to feel obligated..."

Rinoa shook her head firmly. "I _don't _feel obligated." She kissed him tenderly. "I'm here because I want to be. No one makes my decisions, but me."

Squall leaned across the car and wrapped Rinoa into his arms. Rinoa was surprised by his actions, but relaxed in his arms. Just then, Selphie and Irvine approached the car.

"Sorry that we took so long. Are you ready to go?" Selphie asked.

Squall nodded. "Where are we headed?"

"Irvy said he saw this cute place downtown. It's called 'Larson's Place.' You two up for it?" They nodded their consent. "Great! See you in a little while!"

Selphie and Irvine got into the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Squall and Rinoa followed behind them. As they drove down the street, Rinoa looked out the window and stared at the dark sky. She gasped, causing Squall to take his eyes off the road in front of him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

Rinoa smiled. "Nothing's wrong. I just saw a shooting star, and it was beautiful. I'd never seen one before."

Squall relaxed. "Did you make a wish?"

She grinned. "Maybe.... You don't expect me to tell, do you?"

Squall opened his mouth to reply, but never got the chance to as their car was hit from behind. Both Squall and Rinoa jolted forward.

"Who the hell was that?" Squall asked angrily. He looked in the rearview mirror, but couldn't make out who was in the car behind them.

"Should we pull over?" Rinoa asked shakily.

"I don't know. We might lose them if we do." 

Suddenly, the car rammed them again, hard. This time, their car surged forward and crashed into Selphie and Irvine's car, causing them to swerve to the side of the road. Squall jammed on the brakes and managed to stop off to the side of the road.

Squall turned to Rinoa anxiously. "Are you okay?"

Rinoa nodded numbly. "Who was that?"

"I don't know. I'm going to go check on Irvine and Selphie. You wait here."

Rinoa shook her head. "I'm coming with you."

"Rinoa..."

"No, Squall, I'm coming. They could be hurt...we've wasted enough time already."

Squall nodded and they got out of the car. As they approached the car in front of them, Irvine opened the door and turned towards them. Seconds later, Selphie appeared.

"Are you guys alright?" Rinoa asked anxiously.

"Yeah, we're okay." Irvine responded. "What the hell was that?"

Squall shook his head. "Someone rammed us from behind. Unfortunately, we have no idea who it was."

"I think I have an idea as to who it was," Rinoa told them. They turned to her curiously. "I believe that it was Seifer and Quistis."

Squall sighed. "I was thinking the same thing...but we don't have any proof. For all we know, it could have been some drunk."

"They did have a motive, though," Selphie said. "We should have told you this before..." She looked at Irvine and he nodded. "Seifer and Quistis threatened us, right before we competed tonight...."

Irvine nodded as he thought about what Seifer had said earlier and how Quistis had told them not to take his threats lightly. "It all makes sense. They have a grudge against you two for teaming up and they dislike us for winning. So they came after us for revenge."

"The question is, do we go to the police?" Rinoa asked.

"We don't really have a case..." Squall ran a hand through his hair. "All we have is speculation. There really isn't anything the police can do and getting them involved could make things worse."

Selphie nodded. "You're right. Let's just forget about this for now and head to the restaurant. We're supposed to be celebrating!"

"Yes, I almost forgot about that," Rinoa told her. "I'm with Selphie. We can drop this for now and have some fun. There's time to look into this later."

They all agreed and got back into their cars. The incident was put to rest...for the time being.

******************************************************************************************

Ten minutes later, they all arrived at Larson's Place. They entered the restaurant and a waitress greeted them. "Hello! Welcome to Larson's Place! How many people are in your party?"

"Four," Squall answered simply.

"Okay, right this way, please." The waitress led the way to a booth in the corner of the room. Squall and Rinoa sat on one side, across from Irvine and Selphie. "My name is Joanne, and I'll be your waitress today." She handed them the menus. "I'll give you a few minutes to look those over. Holler if you need anything!"

All four studied their menus, casually remarking on what sounded good. A few minutes later, everyone had just about made up their minds, except for Irvine.

"Hmm...should I go with the steak or chicken?" He asked, seriously contemplating the matter.

Selphie giggled. "For goodness sakes, Irvy, chose one! Do you want me to flip a coin?"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea."

Selphie rolled her eyes and extracted a coin from her purse. "Heads is steak and tails is chicken." She flipped the coin; heads. "It's heads, you're ordering the steak."

Just then, Joanne returned to the table. "Are you ready to order now?"

Squall ordered first. "I'll have the marinated chicken breast and a water, please."

Next was Rinoa. "Um, I'll have to backed scrod and a diet Pepsi, please."

"Howdy there, Joanne," Irvine winked. "I'd like the steak, medium well, and a Budd Lite."

Last to order was Selphie. "Okay, I'll have the Chicken Caesar salad and an iced tea."

Joanne finished writing the order down and smiled. "We'll get working on that right away," She said and walked off.

"So, have you two decided when you're going to be competing again?" Selphie asked.

"Actually, we were just discussing that earlier," Rinoa told her. "We haven't said 'this is the exact date we're going back' because we don't know, yet. We still need to get used to each other's techniques and skating habits. When we feel as if we're ready, we'll return."

Selphie nodded. "Well, we'll be glad when you do. You two are the closest friends we have. It'll be nice to have you around."

Rinoa smiled. "Thanks, Selphie. We really appreciate what the both of you have done. A lot of people would have sided with Seifer and Quistis."

"Not us," Irvine grinned. "We know trash when we see it."

"I wish I had that ability," Squall grimaced. "Maybe then I could have avoided any contact with Quistis."

Rinoa reached for his hand and squeezed it gently. "You can't blame yourself for that, Squall. We've all made mistakes."

Irvine and Selphie nodded. "It's true. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Squall nodded reluctantly. "Yeah... I keep telling myself not to dwell on the past."

Sensing Squall's discomfort, Selphie changed the subject. "So...are you two, you know, dating?"

Rinoa blushed. "Well..."

"Do we look like we are?" Squall asked.

Selphie nodded. "You look like a very cute couple. If you aren't dating, then what are you waiting for?"

Rinoa laughed. "We're not officially _dating_, but..." She trailed off.

"Alright, no further explanations required," Selphie giggled. "I'll get it out of you sometime, though."

Joanne arrived just then with their meals. The rest of the evening went by smoothly, with much laughter and joking around. Squall found himself oddly comfortable around this people. The feeling was foreign, but it was..._nice_.

They all got up and were about to leave, when Joanne hurried up to them. "Sorry to bother you again, but the gentleman at table seventeen asked me to give this to you." All four of them turned to the table, but no one was there.

"What does it say?" Rinoa asked.

Squall read the not out loud. "The events that happened earlier tonight were no accident. Be on your guard." He turned towards Joanne. "Who gave this to you?"

"I don't know. The man was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and I didn't get a good look at his face. I'm sorry."

Rinoa turned to Squall, fear evident in her eyes. "What does this mean?"

Squall shook his head. "I don't know, but I do know thing."

"What's that?"

"We should take this seriously. Whether this is a warning or a prank. We don't need something else to happen."

They all nodded silently in agreement. They had no other choice. They had to watch themselves. 

~*~


	8. The Mystery Man Is Revealed

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: I'm sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter up. I meant to have it up this past weekend, but I just couldn't get satisfied with what I was writing. I hope this chapter isn't too bad... Thanks to everyone that reviewed. 

Hiasha: I got my camera yesterday, and since it's digital, I'll definitely be able to send you pictures from the concert. Who knows, maybe the Goo Goo Dolls will come to Brazil soon! 

On the Ice

Chapter 8- The Mystery Man Is Revealed

A single ray of sunlight shone down on Rinoa's sleeping form. She hadn't got much sleep the previous night. Thoughts of the car crash and the mysterious note had made sleep seem impossible. Finally, after tossing and turning for a myriad amount of time, she had fallen into a light slumber. Because of this, the slight warmth that the ray of sunlight cast upon Rinoa's face awakened her. Her eyes fluttered and then opened. Sighing, she decided that she had better get up. There was no chance of sleep returning now.

Rinoa got up out of bed and pulled a robe over her nightgown. She entered the living room and spotted Squall, still fast asleep on the couch. They had decided that Rinoa could have the bed, although she insisted Squall could have it. She shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips. _He's so adorable when he's old-fashioned! _Laughing quietly, she proceeded to walk into the kitchen area. However, she didn't get far, as she felt a hand grab her wrist, pulling her back.

She spun around and saw Squall still laying there, a grin upon his face. "Squall!" She exclaimed. "I thought you were asleep!"

"Do you make it a habit?" He asked, trying to suppress his laughter.

Rinoa frowned. "Do I make what a habit?"

"Watching people as they sleep. Or maybe I'm an exception?"

She blushed. "I wasn't watching you sleep."

He smiled. "Oh, I think you were."

"Well, let me ask you this, Mr. Leonhart. Do you make pretending to be asleep a habit?"

"Only when I know someone is watching me."

She grinned. "And how would you know if someone was watching you?"

"Instinct. I was trained to detect such things at the military academy I attended."

"Ah, so it's not just some natural feeling that you were born with?"

Squall shrugged. "Maybe with you it is. Natural, I mean."

She shook her head. "Aren't we quite the charmer this morning?" She offered him her hand. "Come on, get up. You can help me with breakfast."

Squall grinned. "I can't cook."

Rinoa smiled triumphantly. "Then I'll just have to teach you!" She extended her hand again.

Sighing, Squall pulled himself up and followed Rinoa into the kitchen. "Okay, what do I have to do?"

"Well, what are you in the mood for?"

"Other than you?" He smirked.

She hit him playfully. "Can you please try to be serious?"

"Fine, fine. Let's make this simple. How about some pancakes?"

Rinoa nodded. "Sounds good. We're going to need eggs, flower, water, oil..."

"Tell me again why we can't just use an instant mix."

She rolled her eyes. "You want these to taste good, don't you?"

"Instant tastes just fine to me," he said defensively.

"You are impossible! Just humor me, alright?"

Squall was saved by the phone ringing. "I'll get that." He walked into the living area and picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
_"Is this Squall Leonhart?" _The voice asked.

"Yeah," Squall replied, "This is Squall. Who's asking?"

The person sighed. _"I can't tell you over the phone. All I can say is that I was the one who sent you that note last night. Can you and Rinoa meet me at Cirello Park?"_

"I suppose we could, but how do we know that this isn't a trap?" Squall asked, very suspicious.

_"I'm sorry, but there's no way I can prove this to you. Please, come and see for yourself. Bring Rinoa with you, Irvine and Selphie, too. I'll be waiting for you." _The man hung up before Squall could answer.

Sighing, Squall walked back into the kitchen to find Rinoa rummaging through the cabinets. "I can't find any flower!" She told him as she looked up. "Who was that on the phone?"

"Some guy who says he's the one who sent us that note. Wants us to meet him at Cirello Park with Irvine and Selphie."

Rinoa paled. "What do you think he wants?"

Squall shook his head. "We won't find out if we don't go."

"When does he want us to meet him?"

"Now."

"Now?" Rinoa said exasperatedly. "What about breakfast?"

Squall shrugged. "I told you we should have used instant."

******************************************************************************************

A while later, Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, and Selphie had all assembled at Cirello Park. They looked around suspiciously, wondering who the mystery man was. Rinoa spotted a man with spiky blonde hair entering the park. She nudged Squall.

"Hey, isn't that Zell?"

Upon hearing his name, Zell walked up to them, smiling. "Hey! What are you guys doing here?"

"We're just taking a break from work," Irvine told him. "What about you?"

"The park is a great place to meet people, don't ya think?" He winked. "Especially _secret _people."

Everyone stared at him, comprehending what he had just said. "It was _you_?" Rinoa asked, not hiding her surprise.

Zell nodded. "I'm sorry that I have to be so secretive about this, but I didn't want to cause any suspicion."

Rinoa shook her head. "I don't understand. How are you involved in all of this?"  
"Let me explain. Since I work as a part of the crew for all these competitions, I've been around Seifer and Quistis quite a lot. They don't give me a second thought...I'm just another face in the crowd to them." He shook his head. "Anyway, as I was cleaning up backstage yesterday, I heard them discussing how there were going to pay you back for what you had done. I followed them last night, and I saw what happened."

"So then you followed us to the restaurant?" Squall asked.

Zell nodded. "I couldn't tell you in person in case Quistis and Seifer had followed you, as well."

Squall nodded. "So you left us the note. Did you happen to hear anything else?"

"Actually, I did," Zell looked down nervously. "They said that they wouldn't stop at anything to get their revenge and make themselves champions."

Selphie gasped. "Meaning...they would kill us?"

Zell nodded grimly. "That's exactly what they meant."

******************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, Seifer and Quistis were training at the arena. They were quite pleased at the results of last night. If only their target had been injured...

"I told you that my plans never fail," Seifer said as he grinned at Quistis.

Quistis snorted. "_Your _plan? What about me?"

"You were great, too. I'm just saying that I was the one who came up with the plan."

Quistis rolled her eyes, but chose not to pursue the subject. "So, what's our next move going to be?"

Seifer shrugged. "I think we should just wait for now. I'm curious to see what Squall is going to pull."

"Why do you hate Squall so much?" Quistis asked seriously. "You barely know him, yet you want him killed."

Seifer chuckled silently. "Isn't that the same thing for you with Rinoa?"

"That's different," Quistis snapped. "She took Squall away from me!"

Seifer gave her a puzzled look, but continued. "To answer your question, I went to a military school a few years ago. That's where I met Squall. I never liked him and I still don't. He always takes away the things that belong to _me_!" He said angrily.

"I find it hard to believe that after attending a military academy, you would both turn to figure skating."

"I didn't turn to figure skating, _Squall _did. I wanted to beat my rival...he always thought he was better than me! I worked my ass off, but Rinoa held me down. That _will not _happen again." He glared at Quistis. "I'm going to show Squall who the true champion is!"

Quistis shook her head. "Squall never told me about any of that."

"Well I'm not _Squall_!" Seifer said his name like it was a disease. "You're not partners with _Squall _anymore, you're partners with _me_! Get that damn straight!"

Quistis stared at him. His outburst had been like a slap in the face. "Don't you _ever _talk to me like that again! I am your _partner _and I deserve some respect!"

"Respect?" Seifer shouted. "Go to hell, Quistis," he said, as he shook his head and walked out of the arena.

******************************************************************************************

"What, exactly, do you suggest that we do?" Squall asked Zell.

Zell shook his head. "I'll be traveling with the competition, so I'll keep an eye out for the both of them. If I hear anything else, I'll contact you."

They nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Zell," Rinoa said sincerely. "You've really helped us."

Zell nodded. "You're welcome. I'm going to head back to the arena now. I'll be in touch," he grinned. "You can count on me!"

Irvine turned to Squall and Rinoa. "We're going to go now, too. Watch your backs, and call us if you hear anything." Selphie waved and they both left the park.

Rinoa turned to Squall and grabbed his hand. "What do you make of all this?" She asked as they started walking back to the hotel.

Squall shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know what to make of it. When I teamed up with Quistis, I never imagined that she could do something like this."

"Squall, why did you team up with Quistis?" Rinoa asked seriously.

Squall turned to her, surprised. "I met her a long time ago. Actually, she was a friend of my sister, Ellone. It wasn't until a few years ago that I saw her again. She was into skating, so we decided to team up."

Rinoa nodded. "I don't mean to sound nosy, but..." She trailed off.

Squall looked at her, a small smile playing about his face. "You want to know if Quistis was ever my girlfriend?" Rinoa nodded. "To answer that, no. I always suspected that she wanted a romantic relationship and she had tried to force me to love her. She never understood that I didn't think of her that way."

Rinoa smiled. "What about Ellone, your sister? Am I going to meet her anytime soon?"

"No," Squall said sadly. "She died from Leukemia two years ago."

Rinoa gasped. "I'm sorry, Squall. It must have been horrible for you."

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I'd rather not talk about it, okay?"

Rinoa squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Of course."

Squall stopped suddenly and turned to Rinoa. "I need you to promise me something."

Rinoa looked up at him, confusion in her eyes. "What?"

"You have to promise me that you won't go anywhere unless I'm with you. I don't want you getting hurt."

Rinoa smiled. "How thoughtful of you."

"I'm serious, Rinoa. Promise me."

"I promise, Squall. I won't leave your side." And to prove that her words were true, she gripped his hand tighter than before and they resumed their walk to the hotel.

~*~ 


	9. Heading to Deling

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: I know, I know, I took forever to update! I'm _really _sorry, but blame my school, lol! Oh well, I only have 19 days left anyway, and then I'm home free, which will give me plenty of time to write. Thanks to everyone that reviewed.

On the Ice

Chapter 9- Heading to Deling

"You're ready," Cid said proudly. A week had passed by since the incident with Seifer and Quistis and no one had heard anything. Squall and Rinoa had taken the opportunity to train non-stop.

"You really think so?" Rinoa asked. "Are you sure?"

Cid nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. You two have really mastered this routine, and I think you should enter yourselves into the next competition."

Squall frowned. "When is the next competition?"

"It's in a week, and is going to be held in Deling City. I suggest that you enter as soon as possible."

Squall turned to Rinoa. "What do you think?"

"I say that we go for it. I mean, this will be our first time competing together! I think it'll be exciting," Rinoa said enthusiastically.

"We'll have to leave Dollet as soon as possible...."

Rinoa shrugged. "Then let's leave now. We can't pass up this opportunity!"

Squall nodded. "Alright, let's do it."

"That's the spirit, my boy!" Cid exclaimed. "I have the utmost faith in the two of you. I know that you'll be able to pull this off."

"You _will _be coming with us, right?" Rinoa asked.

"Of course! Whoever heard of skaters without a coach!" Cid smiled. "I'm lucky because my wife can travel with me." He winked, causing Rinoa to giggle. "Anyway, do you think you will be ready to pack up and go by tomorrow morning?"

Squall nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem."

"Excellent! I'll enter you two in the competition right away! Meet me at the Dollet Train Station at 9:00 sharp!"

Rinoa waved. "See you then!"

******************************************************************************************

Once they were back at the hotel, Rinoa and Squall began the task of packing up their stuff and getting ready to leave.

"I'm so excited about the competition!" Rinoa exclaimed. "Do you think Seifer and Quistis will be there?"

Squall nodded gravely. "Wherever there's a chance to be number one, they're going to be there."

"Yeah, you're right, but I suppose we can't get hung up on them." She paused. "I used to live in Deling City, you know."

Squall looked up from what he was doing. "Really?"

"Yes. Why do you look so surprised?"

Squall shook his head. "You just look more like one of those Estharian girls. You know...living in a high-tech city."

"Oh, really?" Rinoa teased. "So are you saying that I couldn't survive in a place like Deling City?"

"You left, didn't you?"

Rinoa became silent. "Yeah, I did...but it wasn't the city I couldn't handle."

"What was it, then?" Squall asked softly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, it's alright. I left Deling because of my father. My mother died when I was very young, and after that, it was like he couldn't handle life. The anger and pain I saw in his eyes..." She shuddered. "I guess he figured he'd take it out on me. I mean, he never abused me, not physically. Mentally... His words hurt..._badly_. I don't want to forgive him for the way he treated me. Squall..." She looked up at him. "Please, don't let him near me when we're in Deling City."

"Do you think he'll come after you?"

"Honestly, I don't know. He's going to hear that I'm in town for the competition and I'd rather not see him."

Squall nodded. "Just stay close to me. I won't let him, or anyone, hurt you."

"Thank you, Squall," Rinoa said as she embraced him. "I don't know what I would ever do without you."

He stroked her hair gently. "You don't have to worry." They stood like that for a few minutes. "Uh...we should finish packing."

"It can wait. Right now, I just want to stay with you," She kissed him softly.

Squall gave in to the kiss, but broke it off after a few seconds. "Rinoa, we really shouldn't be doing this right now. We're leaving tomorrow morning," Squall told her gently.

She sighed. "It always leads back to our career, doesn't it?"  
Squall shook his head. "No...it doesn't have to be. I promise you, we'll have plenty of time to continue this later." He smirked.

"Really?" Rinoa grinned. "Okay, but that's a promise you had better keep."

"Do I ever break my promises?" He smiled.

"No," Rinoa said, smiling back. "You don't."

******************************************************************************************

"Squall, Rinoa, over here!" Cid called.

Rinoa waved. "Good morning," she said happily.

"Good morning! Are you two ready to get going?" Cid asked.

Squall nodded. "Everything seems to be in order. Do you have the tickets?"

"Yes I do," Cid smiled. "Then it looks like we can get going."

Cid led the way and boarded the train. Rinoa and Squall followed him onto the train. Cid sat down next to Edea, who had already boarded. Irvine and Selphie were seated behind her. Rinoa and Squall took the two vacant seats adjacent to them.

"Hey guys!" Rinoa greeted them happily. "Cid didn't tell us that you were going to be taking this train."

"Well, here we are," Selphie grinned. "I'm so glad that you two are entering the competition. I can't wait to see you guys skate!"

Rinoa smiled warmly. "I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous about performing, but I'm really looking forward to it."

Irvine tapped Selphie on the shoulder. "Hey Seffie, are you thirsty? This train is supposed to have a great bar. I'm gonna go check it out. Do you wanna come?"

"Sure," Selphie told him. "See you later, Rin." 

Once Irvine and Selphie left, Rinoa turned to Squall. "You're being awfully quiet."

Squall shrugged. "I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?" Rinoa asked.

"A lot of things. The competition, Seifer, Quistis, you..."

Rinoa looked at him in surprise. "_Me_? What were you thinking about me?"

"Nothing..." Squall said as he started to turn red.

"You're blushing!" Rinoa exclaimed. "Oh, come on, Squall! You can't just tell me that you were thinking about me and expect to leave it at that."

"Why not? My thoughts aren't for your viewing pleasure," he said as he surprised a grin.

Rinoa hit him playfully. "Squall! I can't believe you just said that!"

"What?" He laughed. "It's the truth!"

"Well, if your _thoughts _aren't for my viewing pleasure, then what is?"

Squall turned even redder than before. "I'm not even going to answer that."

"Aw, you're so cute, taking it so seriously," she said, laughing quietly to herself.

He turned the other way and looked out the window. "Laugh if you want, but you can find someone else to talk to on this train."

"Oh, come on! I was only kidding!" Squall still didn't turn his head. "Squall..." Rinoa gently pulled his face towards hers. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you. I was just teasing." She gave him her most pathetic look. "Will you forgive me?"

Squall smiled slightly. "I suppose that I don't have much of a choice, do I?" He stroked her cheek caressingly. "I can't stay mad at you...." He drew her towards him and kissed her deeply.

Edea turned to her husband. "Look at those two...they look so happy together," She sighed contentedly. "I hope they make it and this business doesn't tear them apart."

Cid looked at his wife, surprised. "Do you think that it will?"

Edea shook her head. "No...but with this business, you never know. It's a whole different world. I'll have to pray for them."

"They'll make it," Cid said, a look of pride on his face. "I know they will."

******************************************************************************************

"Seifer, I need to talk to you!" Quistis knocked on the door to his hotel room. "Come on, Seifer, I know you're in there!"

Seifer flung the door open. "What?" He snapped.

"Look, I just wanted to tell you that we can't keep this up if we want to win. We haven't even been _talking_, let alone practicing. How do you expect us to win the competition? This is going to be one night only, which means that we only get one shot."

"Do you think I don't know that? I shouldn't even be looking at you, Quistis. I know where your loyalties lie."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. You all but said that you regretted leaving Squall."

Quistis shook her head. "You know that I never said that! And you weren't so innocent, either. I'm willing to let it go this time."

"Why?"

"Because a successful team needs to be on speaking terms to operate," she said as she stuck out her hand. "Truce?"

Seifer shrugged. "Fine, but there aren't any guarantees that it'll last."

"Well, that will just have to be good enough for now, won't it?"

"Regardless of whether or not it's good enough, it's all you're getting."

Quistis sighed. "You are impossible."

******************************************************************************************

"Hello! May I help you?" The secretary at the Fairview Hotel asked Squall and Rinoa. They had spent hours training vigorously at the Deling City Arena. After that, they had gone out for dinner with Irvine, Selphie, Cid and Edea. Then, they had all gone their separate ways and the rest of them would probably be checking in a bit later.

"Uh, yeah. We need two single rooms for a couple of nights," Squall told her.

Rinoa elbowed him. "Squall," she whispered, "One room is fine! Plus, it'll save us money."

"Okay, make that one room for two," he said reluctantly.

"The current single rooms available contain one King-sized bad. Will that be a problem?"

_How did I know..._ Squall looked at Rinoa and she winked. He turned back to the woman. "We'll take it."

"Very well. That will be 200 gil." Squall handed the woman the money. "Thank you. Here's your key. You're in room 113."

Squall took the key and headed upstairs with Rinoa. "Did you set this up?"

Rinoa turned to him, puzzled. "Set what up?"

"For there not to be any rooms with two beds. This is the second time that it's happened to us."

Rinoa smiled. "Of course I didn't set it up! Maybe this is a sign..." She trailed off as they arrived at room 113.

Squall opened the door and Rinoa walked right in. The room was medium-sized. A King-sized bed was located on one side of the wall. There was a desk, a love seat, and a big screen TV also located in the room. Off to the right was the bathroom, and directly in front of them were double doors leading out to the balcony.

"Not bad," Squall commented.

Rinoa sighed happily. "I, for one, am exhausted. I'm going to get changed and go to bed."

Rinoa disappeared into the bathroom and Squall took the time to change out of his clothes and into a pair of black pajama pants. He was also exhausted and couldn't wait to lay down and fall asleep.

A few minutes later, Rinoa re-entered the room, dressed in a blue nightgown. She yawned. "God, I can't keep my eyes open. Come one, let's go to sleep."

"We?" Squall asked.

"Yes, _we_! Squall, you are not going to sleep on that tiny love seat. And don't you even think about sleeping on the floor. We have a _King-sized _bed! There's plenty of room for the both of us! Besides, didn't you make me promise to stay close to you?"

"If you insist..."

Rinoa grinned. "Really?"

He shrugged. "I don't see the harm in it. Besides, if I had to sleep on that love seat, I don't think I would be able to skate tomorrow."

Rinoa smiled to herself as she climbed into bed and snuggled under the covers. Squall got in beside her, but made sure to keep his distance. Rinoa snuggled close to him. 

"Hold me tight tonight, okay? _Really _tight," she begged him.

Squall nodded and pulled her close. "Good night, Rinoa," he said as he kissed her forehead. Rinoa didn't respond and Squall realized that she was already asleep. He watched her for a few minutes and then he, too, fell asleep, a grin upon his face.

~*~


	10. Passion

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII…

Author's Note: It seems like I just can't find a rhythm with this fic. Every chapter seems to be a challenge, which I've never experienced when writing any of my other fics. That's why I really haven't been updating this regularly. I'm really sorry for that. Unfortunately, things aren't going to get better in the near future. I have finals next week, so I'll be cramming for them this week, and next. Then, I leave on vacation to Bermuda on the 29th. I'll be gone for a week, and there will be computers on the ship, but it costs 75 cents a minute to use them, so I don't think I'll be uploading from there. I guess I'll have to see what happens. Sorry!

On the Ice

Chapter 10- Passion

Squall awoke in unfamiliar surroundings, his arms wrapped around a sleeping Rinoa. He couldn't help but smile as he saw her there…an image of innocence. He felt so many emotions coursing through him. In that moment, Squall felt _peace_. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so comfortable around someone. Quistis certainly had never given him this feeling. It had been so hard to open up and trust people again after Ellone's death. Squall had been so close to his sister, and her death had been the darkest time in his life. He had thought that pairing up with Quistis would help him get over Ellone's death. In a way, it was a way for him to honor her memory since she was the one who introduced him to figure skating in the first place. Squall had only been partly right. Skating had been a release, but Quistis had not.

Rinoa stirred, and then opened her eyes to see Squall looking down on her. "Hey," she smiled. "I see that you're picking up on my habits."

Squall shrugged. "It's hard _not_ to watch you. You just looked really peaceful."

"I was," she looked at him thoughtfully. "You know…it's funny how at ease I feel when I'm with you. When I was younger, my mom was the person I could trust the most. I always felt so safe with her, so secure. Then…she died. I didn't _know_ who to turn to. My father buried himself in his work and appointed a nanny to watch over me. Kerry was great, don't get me wrong, but she wasn't my mother, nor could she ever be. Pairing with Seifer was more of a rebellious decision on my part." She shook her head. "I regret the day that I laid eyes on Seifer Almasy. Except then, maybe I wouldn't have met you. Then, I would never have this feeling or security. You are the one who gives me that feeling, Squall. The feeling of comfort, happiness, peace… Thank you for that."

Squall was at a loss for words. Was it just a coincidence that he had been thinking practically the same thing a few minutes earlier? As much as he tried to deny it, Squall did have feelings for this woman, and he didn't know what to do about it. "Rinoa…I don't know what to say." He shook his head.

Rinoa gently pressed a finger to his lips. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to tell you how I felt."

Squall nodded. "I'm not very good with words. In all honesty, what I'm feeling right now is foreign to me. It scares the hell out of me because I don't know what to _do_ about it."

Rinoa grabbed his hands and pulled herself closer to Squall. "Don't think, just _feel_. Your emotions won't lie to you." She stared at him with a deep intensity in her eyes. Squall stared back, his look mirroring hers.

Squall decided to heed her advice and pulled Rinoa closer. He brushed his lips over Rinoa's oh-so-gently. The simple kiss was deepened, each finding their want and _need_ for each other. Rinoa lifted Squall's shirt over his head and began kissing him feverishly. A pounding on the door made them jump apart guiltily.

Rinoa groaned. "Whoever this is, it better be important." She got up to open the door and found Irvine and Selphie standing there. "What are you guys doing here this early?"

"Um, 'this early'? Rinoa, it's ten o'clock," Selphie told her. "We wanted to see if you and Squall wanted to go train with us."

"Oh, I can't believe we slept in so late!" Rinoa smiled sheepishly. "I'll have to ask Squall. Why don't you guys come in?" Rinoa walked back into the room and Selphie and Irvine followed. "Squall, what's the plan for today? Do you wanna hit the arena with Irvine and Selphie?"

Squall shrugged. "Sure, it doesn't matter to me. I just need to change."

Rinoa turned to Irvine and Selphie. "Could you guys wait while we get dressed? Then we could all leave together."

Selphie nodded. "Sure, no problem. Do you want us to wait here?"

Rinoa nodded. "Squall, why don't you go ahead and use the bathroom first. I'll wait out here."

With a nod, Squall pulled out a shirt and a pair of pants and headed into the bathroom.

"Irvy, can you go get us some coffee from downstairs while we wait?" Selphie asked.

Irvine sighed. "Sure, Seffie, I'll go." Irvine turned around and left the room.

As soon as Irvine was gone, Selphie turned to Rinoa. "Okay, fess up," Selphie whispered. "The guys can't hear us now, so you can tell me all about what's been going on with you and Squall."

Rinoa looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on. Look at the state that this bed is in! Looks to me like you were getting down and dirty," she winked.

"Selphie! I can't believe that you just said that! Besides, that's personal."

"You really like Squall, don't you?" Rinoa nodded. "Do you love him?"

Rinoa shook her head. "I don't know. Define love. It's sure been a long time since I've felt much love towards anyone."

"But you _are_ in love with him, aren't you?" Selphie said excitedly. "You just won't admit it to yourself."

The bathroom door opened and Squall walked out, so there was no opportunity for Rinoa to respond. "Where's Irvine?" Squall asked.

"He went to get us some coffee," Selphie told him.

"I'm going to get dressed, and then we can get going, okay?" Rinoa disappeared into the bathroom, not bothering to wait for an answer.

******************************************************************************************

A few days later…

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Deling Arena! We have quite a show for you here tonight. Competing in the pair's competition are five amazing couples. The competition will consist of a long and short program, taking place over two days. Tonight will begin the short program. We'll start with the first pair after the break."

Rinoa and Squall had spent every day training since their arrival in Deling City. Things had been going pretty well, except for the fact that they barely had any time alone with each other. When they were alone, they were too exhausted to do much else but sleep.

"Welcome back. Our first pair performance comes from Roger Stanton and Emily Morrison."

Squall and Rinoa, meanwhile, were backstage getting ready. They would be on last. Rinoa paced back and forth nervously.

"Rinoa, could you please sit down or stretch or do anything, but could you _please_ stop pacing back and forth?" Squall asked irritably.

Rinoa smiled sheepishly and stopped. "Sorry, but I'm just so nervous! It's been awhile since I've competed."

"We're going to be fine. We should stretch and go through the routine while we still have time."

Rinoa nodded. "You're right, as usual." She kissed him. "What would I do without you?"

Squall shrugged. "Who knows?"

Back in the arena, Roger Stanton and Emily Morrison had just received their scores, mostly 5.5's and 5.6's. Next up were Selphie and Irvine. Selphie was dressed in a yellow, sparkling outfit, and Irvine was dressed in brown. They had chosen a song with an upbeat melody for the short program. The music started up and they began.

Rinoa and Squall were still backstage, so they couldn't see Selphie and Irvine's performance. "Squall, come on! We can afford five minutes to go see Irvine and Selphie."

"They're probably done by now anyway."

Rinoa shook her head. "They're not! I can still hear their music playing. Please?"

Squall sighed. "Okay."

"Yay!" Rinoa grinned and grabbed Squall's hand. "Let's go!" She pulled him down the hall until they had entered the arena. Irvine and Selphie had just finished and were taking their bows.

The announcer came on. "The technical marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 5.7, 5.7, 5.8, 5.8, 5.8, 5.7." The crowd cheered. "The artistic marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 5.8, 5.7, 5.7, 5.7, 5.7, 5.7." Selphie and Irvine seemed pleased with their marks. Selphie spotted Rinoa and waved enthusiastically before heading off with Irvine.

"They're in first place," Squall commented.

Rinoa nodded. "I wish I could have seen their performance. I know we're competitors, but we're still friends. I'm happy for them."

"That's true, but you can't think like that when you're out there. You have to focus all of your attention on the task at hand," Squall said seriously.

"Of course I know that!" Rinoa grinned. "You're so cute when you take things so seriously."

Squall just shook his head. "Do you think we could go back to getting ready now?"

Rinoa nodded. "Hey, at least we've got our costumes on. We don't have that much time until we go on."

Next up were Bart Cawler and Rosa Peters. Their performance was good, but nothing spectacular. They received 5.6's across the board. 

It was time for Seifer and Quistis to skate. They wore looks of sheer determination on their faces. The song they had chosen had a salsa-type beat. Their outfits fit the song, Seifer in black and Quistis in red. They put on a great performance and nailed all of their jumps. They finished, grinning from ear to ear. They skated off of the ice and waited for their scores.

"The technical marks for Almasy and Trepe are: 5.9, 5.9, 6.0, 6.0, 5.9. 6.0." They beamed. "The artistic marks for Almasy and Trepe are: 5.7, 5.8, 5.8, 5.8, 5.9, 5.8." They waved and disappeared backstage.

"Squall, this is it, we're up! We're going to have to put up the performance of our lives if we want to beat them," Rinoa told him.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "We'll do it."

They skated onto the ice, Squall in black and Rinoa in light blue. Unlike Seifer and Quistis, they had chosen a slow song. The music started and they were off. Their performance was full of emotion. The song called for a profound sadness and longing, which Rinoa and Squall were able to pull of perfectly. Every time Squall lifted Rinoa or threw her into the air, she felt like she was on top of the world, a feeling she had never felt when skating with Seifer. It was as if Squall and Rinoa had been destined to skate together. Their performance had been beautiful.

They finished exhausted, but extremely happy. They bowed and waved as the crowd went wild. Skating off the ice, they anxiously awaited their scores. 'The technical marks for Leonhart and Heartilly are: 6.0, 6.0, 5.9, 6.0, 5.9, 6.0." The crowd roared in approval. "The artistic marks for Leonhart and Heartilly are: 6.0, 6.0, 5.9, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0."

Rinoa hugged Squall tightly. "I can't believe it!" She exclaimed.

"I told you we'd be fine," Squall said as he stroked her hair. "You were great."

"Well folks, there you have it. The final standings for the short program are: Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly in first, Seifer Almasy and Quistis Trepe in second, Irvine Kinneas and Selphie Tilmitt in third, Bart Cawlers and Rosa Peters in fourth, and Roger Stanton and Emily Morrison in fifth. Join us here tomorrow night for the long program. It's sure to be quite a battle for the gold!"

~*~ 


	11. Just Feel

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Woo-hoo, I actually updated two weeks in a row! I'm going to try to have one more chapter up before I leave for vacation on the 29th. Thanks for the reviews everyone. Special thanks to Baby Rose for e-mailing me her reviews when FF.net was down. Sorry for anyone hoping for a lemon last chapter. I hope this chapter satisfies you, but I don't really write lemons. This chapter is as graphic as it's going to get...for now anyway ^_^

On the Ice

Chapter 11- Just Feel

The locker room at the Deling City Arena was in shambles. Wood splinters decorated the floor, along with a mess of clothes and equipment. Anyone in their right mind would stay as far away from that room as possible. Only two people occupied the room now, one of those people being the person who the mess could be attributed to. Seifer Almasy was on a rampage.

"Seifer, you need to calm down. Look at this mess! They're going to disqualify us for this," Quistis said anxiously. 

"Do you think I give a damn?" Seifer spat. "I am completely fed up with all this bullshit! Who the hell are _Squall Leonhart_ and _Rinoa Heartilly _to beat _us_?"

Quistis shook her head. "That's just it, Seifer, they're nobody. You just have to calm down. I'm pissed off that we didn't win, too, but we still have tomorrow night. We're barely behind them! An outstanding performance tomorrow could result with us as the winners."

"How the hell can you say that, Quistis?Nothing is ever definite in skating, don't you get that? Those bastards are probably paying the judges to put them in first." Seifer slammed his fist against the wall. "I can't take this shit! I'm sick of being taken for a fool!"

"I understand how you feel, Seifer, but look what this is doing to you. It's tearing you up inside." She put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I know _how bad _you want to beat Squall and Rinoa. I know, because I feel the same way. However, we can't just sit here and throw a fit. I've done that, so many times, and it doesn't get you anywhere. We need to _work _for this."

"_Work_? What the hell have we been doing? We've done nothing but work since we partnered up. I am sick of working my ass off for _nothing_!" He shouted.

"Listen to me, dammit! We haven't been doing this all for nothing! Second place is not exactly a bad thing," Quistis said exasperatedly.

Seifer shook his head. "That's not good enough. We already lost to Kinneas and Tilmitt. There is _no _damn way that I'm going to lose again!"

Quistis sighed. "I agree, we can't lose again. Right now, what's done is done, so let's get over it and move on. The only way to win tomorrow night is to go into it with a clear head."

Seifer turned around and looked at her. Snapping his fingers, he said, "That's not the only way."

Quistis looked at him wearily. "What do you have in mind?"

"It's simple, really. The other teams shouldn't be a problem, since we're already ahead of them. That just leaves Leonhart and Heartilly. Think of it this way, if something _suddenly_ comes up, like a _freak accident_, they won't be able to skate, will they?"

"Seifer, where are you going with this? Are you saying that we should cause Squall and Rinoa to have an accident so that they won't be able to compete?"

Seifer grinned. "You catch on fast, Quisty. That's exactly what I'm saying."

Quistis shook her head. "How do you expect to pull this off? If we do something to both of them, it's going to look awfully suspicious."

"That's why we're only going to eliminate one of them. Quistis, this is the only way to ensure that we get the gold. Are you going to help me or not?"

Quistis nodded. "I'm with you, Seifer."

"Alright, then here's the plan..."

******************************************************************************************

"I can't believe we're in first," Rinoa said happily. Her and Squall had already left the arena and were now standing outside the door to their hotel room. "I am so completely happy right now!" She exclaimed, and twirled around to prove it.

Squall smiled. "I can see that." He took the cardkey to the room out of his pocket and swiped it through the slot. 

Rinoa hit him playfully as they entered the room. "Come on, Squall, have a little fun. You've gotta loosen up every now and then. We just made an amazing comeback, so let's celebrate!"

Squall just shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm not into the whole celebration thing."

Rinoa put her hands on her hips. "Oh, really? Then what exactly are you into?"

He shrugged. "A lot of things. Skating, leather, you..."

Rinoa couldn't help but grin at his comment. She closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well, I'm into you, too, Squall Leonhart. I think at this point, there's a name for it, though."

Squall's eyes twinkled in amusement. "What would that be?"

"Love," she whispered.

Squall's eyes widened. "Love?"

"That's right, Squall, love. I love you," she told him softly.

Squall just stared at her. _She loves me... _"Rinoa..." Unable to find the words to even begin to describe the way he felt, he remembered her words. _Don't think, just **feel**. Your emotions won't lie to you. _He pulled her closer and kissed her with all the feelings he possessed.

Rinoa understood that this was Squall's way of telling her that he felt the same. She kissed him back, matching this newfound passion he was showing her. Rinoa broke away, panting heavily. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Squall nodded and continued to trail kisses down her neck. Satisfied that Squall was more than ready, she pulled him closer and they both fell back onto the bed....

******************************************************************************************

General Caraway sipped his coffee while he read the Deling Tab. It was a daily ritual for him; get up, eat breakfast, and read the newspaper. It wasn't much, but it was one of the few things in his life that remained constant. His wife had died, his daughter had run away, and he was basically left with nothing. Sometimes, it was the little familiar things in his life that kept him sane.

The General's eyes widened as he turned the page. Smiling up at him was a picture of his only daughter, Rinoa. Standing next to her was Squall, a look of pride on his face. The caption under the picture read **_"Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly: Currently in first place after the short program." _**The article basically summarized what had happened the previous night and what was predicted to happen that night. It wasn't like the General didn't know about Rinoa's skating career; he just chose to ignore it. The last he heard, she had been in Dollet.

"Sherry," he barked. "What is the meaning of this?"

The main housekeeper, Sherry, approached him. "What's the problem, Sir?"

"I would like to know why I wasn't informed that Rinoa was in Deling City," he said angrily.

"I believe that you said you wanted to cut off all connections to your daughter, Sir," Sherry said calmly.

"Forget what I said! I want you to locate her for me!"

"She's going to be at the Deling Arena tonight, Sir. Wouldn't it be easier if you went to see her there?"

He sighed. "Fine. Get me a ticket to tonight's show."

Sherry nodded. "As you wish, Sir."

"Oh, and Sherry?"

She turned around. "Yes, Sir?"

"I want you to find out everything you can about this _Squall Leonhart_. The man who thinks he is good enough for my daughter..."

******************************************************************************************

Rinoa opened her eyes and found herself tangled up in Squall's arms. Her head was resting comfortably on his chest and his arms were holding her tight. She sighed happily, recalling the events of the previous night. Her life finally seemed to be looking up. She loved the way Squall looked when he was asleep. No matter how many times she studied his face, she couldn't get over that peaceful look he always wore when sleeping.

She turned slightly, so as not to wake him. Reaching out, she ran her fingers through his hair. God, how she loved his hair. She let her hand trail down the outline of his scar. Rinoa couldn't resist the urge to kiss him, and feeling her lips upon his face, Squall opened his eyes.

He smiled. "So it wasn't a dream..."

"No, it really happened," she said, smiling back.

Squall looked at her seriously. "About what you said last night-"

Rinoa shook her head, cutting him off. "I meant everything that I said and there's no way that I regret what happened. Do you?"

"No, of course not. It's just...I've been trying to find the words to tell you how I feel. The thing is, I've discovered that there _aren't _any words to describe this feeling. Words just make it seem so insignificant. What I feel when I'm with you...what I'm feeling _right now_...it's beyond words."

Rinoa stroked his cheek gently. "The words are simple, but what they represent is not. I told you to show me how you feel, and you did just that. That's all I could ever have hoped for."

"I've found that sometimes the simple things are what mater the most. I love you, Rinoa, and that's all there is to it."

Rinoa grinned. "You couldn't have said it better. There's nothing else to it."

******************************************************************************************

Later that night, after Squall and Rinoa had managed to crawl out of bed, they had gathered their equipment and headed to the arena. Rinoa was anxiously anticipating what would happen as Squall searched for a place to park. She had never imagined that things could have gone so smoothly. If they could just win tonight, they would have made the ultimate comeback.

"Rinoa?" Squall's voice snapped Rinoa out of her daze. "I'm going to drop you off here, okay? It could be a while before I find a space."

"Okay," she nodded. "Do you want me to take your equipment in?"

He shook his head. "It's okay, I can handle it. I'll see you in a few minutes." He kissed her lightly and she got out of the car.

Rinoa watched as Squall drove off into the parking lot. She smiled to herself as she walked towards the arena's entrance. It was a beautiful night, and Rinoa found herself looking up at the stars. _I guess my wish came true._

Quistis spotted Rinoa walking across the parking lot alone. _This couldn't be more perfect. _Dressed in all black, she blended in perfectly with the night. She crept up behind Rinoa, clutching a lead pipe in her hand. Raising the pipe above her head, she struck Rinoa's right leg as hard as she could. Rinoa cried out in pain as she slumped to the ground. The pain was too much to bear, and as a result, Rinoa blacked out.

"It's almost a pity," Quistis said softly. "_Almost_..."

~*~


	12. Harsh Reality

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: I'm on a roll here! Updates three weeks in a row? What's wrong with me, lol! It seems like every chapter that I write, the more confidence I gain. Without the added pressure of school, I'm able to write chapters more efficiently, and more often. I actually know pretty much where this is will be going. For those of you who commented about the incident with Tanya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, well, it definitely had an influence in the last chapter. Anyway, this is going to be my last update for at least a week since I am leaving for Bermuda tomorrow. I will be gone for a week, so I might be able to get in some writing. I'd also just like to say if you're reading this right now, and I have been reviewing your fic, if you update your fic in the coming week, don't think that if I don't review I stopped reading it, or I don't like it. I just won't be around to review it! I'll try to catch up to everyone's fics when I come back. Thank you again to everyone that reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

On the Ice

Chapter 12- Harsh Reality

Squall exited his car feeling irritable. His patience had been tried multiple times, with cars honking and fighting over parking spaces. Shaking his head, he alarmed the car and made his way toward the side entrance of the arena. This was no time to be annoyed; he needed to concentrate on the task at hand. Seifer and Quistis had lost, twice now, and Squall had an uneasy feeling thinking about what they could try.

_You're being ridiculous, Squall. That's what Rinoa would say if she heard you right now. _The thought of Rinoa brought a smileto his face. Just thinking of her put him at ease. His pace quickened as he found that he just _really _wanted to see her, regardless of being with her a few minutes earlier. He opened the door that led right into the backstage area, flashing his ID at the guard. Walking down the hall, he reached the locker room and opened the door.

"Hey," Selphie greeted him as soon as she walked in. "Where's Rinoa?"

Squall frowned. "Isn't she here? I dropped her off a few minutes ago when I went to look for a place to park."

"Hmmm...that's funny. I haven't seen her at all. Maybe she went to the bathroom?"

Squall shook his head. "She had her equipment with her. I'm sure she would have dropped it off here first. Are you sure she didn't already come here?"

Selphie nodded. "I'm positive. I've been in here the whole time, and if she came in here, I would have noticed."

Squall took a deep breath. "Something is wrong here...Rinoa wouldn't just disappear. I have to find her," Squall said worriedly. He ran out of the locker room hoping that this was all a big misunderstanding and Rinoa would appear before him, wearing that beautiful smile.

"Sir, Sir!" A man ran up to him frantically. "I need your help!"

Squall sighed impatiently. _I don't have time to deal with this! _"What is it?"

The man took a minute to catch his breath. "I just called an ambulance," he wheezed. "There's a woman in the front of the building, unconscious. She's hurt pretty badly. I think she's one of the skaters, but I have no idea what I should do!"

Squall's blood froze at the man's words. "W-where is she?" He managed to choke out.

"In the front, Sir. Would you like me to show you?" 

Squall nodded numbly and followed the man down the hall. Everything was a blur to him: the voices, the sounds, the emotions. _It can't be Rinoa._

After what seemed like hours, they made it outside. Squall saw the body lying there and knew at once that it his worst fear had come true. It was Rinoa. Squall dropped down to his knees beside her.

"Rinoa? Rinoa, can you hear me? It's Squall." There was no response from her. "You called an ambulance?" Squall directed his question to the man.

He nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Then where the hell are they," he shouted angrily.

"I'm sure they're on their way, Sir," the man assured him.

Blood...there was so much blood. How could a person survive losing that much blood? "Come on, Rinoa, hang on. The ambulance is on its way. Please, you have to hold on." A siren was heard in the distance. "Thank God," Squall whispered. 

Minutes later, the ambulance pulled up beside them. Two of the paramedics jumped out and loaded Rinoa onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

"I'm coming with you," Squall told one of them.

He nodded. "Alright, get on."

Squall did as he was told and the ambulance sped down the street.

******************************************************************************************

Caraway was enjoying a quiet lunch outside. It was a beautiful day and no matter how much he tried to deny it, he was a nature lover. Nothing made him happier than sitting peacefully, watching the garden grow. Today, however, his peace was interrupted as Sherry cam running outside.

"Sir," she called frantically.

Caraway raised an eyebrow, annoyed at being interrupted by some trivial matter that Sherry was sure to report. "What is it, Sherry?"  
"There has been an accident. I just got word of it..."

"What kind of accident?" He asked impatiently. "What has this got to do with me?"

"Sir...Rinoa was involved in the accident. She was taken to the hospital a while ago. I don't know the details of what happened, but I do know that she was severely injured."

"Do you know which hospital she was taken to?"

Sherry nodded. "I've already got a car waiting to take you there. You _will _be going, won't you?"  
Caraway sighed. "Rinoa is my daughter. I have a duty as her father to go see her."

Satisfied, Sherry led Caraway to the car that would take him to Rinoa.

******************************************************************************************

Squall paced back and forth in the waiting room. What the hell was taking so long? The more time that went by, the more anxious he became. Rinoa _had _to be fine. There was no way that she wouldn't come out of this alive. At least, that's what Squall kept telling himself. The thought of losing Rinoa was pushed to the farthest corner of his mind. He just couldn't face that possibility.

_Who the hell could have done this? Who am I kidding...it had to be Seifer and Quistis. _No one had a motive to attack Rinoa, except for the other skaters. Out of them, the only ones who really hated them with a passion were Seifer and Quistis. The reasons were all there. Squall was determined to get his revenge. They would never get away with what they had done.

"Mr. Leonhart?" A doctor approached Squall. "My name is Doctor Kadowaki. I've been treating Rinoa."

Squall shook his head impatiently. "Please, doctor, tell me, how is she? She's going to live, right?"

Doctor Kadowaki nodded. "She has taken a terrible beating, but she will survive. However..."

Squall frowned. "What is it?"

"The person who attacked Rinoa really did some damage to her right leg. Because of that damage, there could be some...complications."

"What kind of complications?" Squall asked, panic rising in his voice.

"She'll need to have surgery, of course. After the surgery, and physical therapy, walking shouldn't be a problem. However, you are skaters, correct?"

Squall nodded. "We're partners."

Dr. Kadowaki nodded. "That's the problem. Because of this injury, there is a high possibility that Rinoa might not be able to skate again."

"Exactly how high is that possibility?" Squall asked, dreading the answer.

"Well, it depends on how the surgery goes, but right now, I'd say that there is a seventy-five percent chance."

Squall sighed. "When is this surgery going to be taking place?"  
"Rinoa should be waking up soon. I would like to discuss the surgery options with her, and ultimately, she will make the final decision," she told him. "You know, Mr. Leonhart, the recovery process is going to be extremely difficult, both physically and emotionally. Rinoa is going to need someone to support her through it all."

Squall nodded. "I understand, and I would be more than happy to fill that roll. Is there any way that I could see her now?"

"Yes. Like I said, she should be waking up soon. We can discuss treatment whenever she feels ready to. Right now, I think you're the best thing for her. Just, try not to tire her. She has just been through a terrible ordeal." 

_Who does she think I am? _"With all due respect, doctor, I'm not a child. I think I know that Rinoa needs to take it easy."

Doctor Kadowaki smiled. "I know you do. The technical doctor side of me was kicking in," she said, chuckling. "Anyway, enough of this chatter. I'm sure that you want to see your girlfriend. She's in room two-forty-seven...right down the hall."

"Thank you, doctor," Squall said sincerely as he shook her hand.

"You're extremely welcome, Mr. Leonhart." With a genuine smile, she turned around and disappeared down the hallway.

_Room two-forty-seven... _Squall walked down the hall, scanning the numbers on each door. _Two-forty-one, two-forty-three, two-forty-five... _Squall stopped in front of the next door. "Two-forty-seven."

He opened the door quietly so he wouldn't wake Rinoa. He felt the anger burn inside of him when he saw her. She looked so pale...a deathly white. Her right leg was wrapped up in multiple bandages, and Squall couldn't help feeling relieved that he wouldn't have to see the extent of the damage. Seeing that would just cause his anger to boil over. He sat down beside her, grasping her hand for comfort. _Comfort for who...her or me? _The answer was most likely him.

"Please wake up, Rinoa," Squall whispered. "I know that this injury is going to be hard for you, but you _will _get through it. You're one of the strongest people I know. I'm going to be beside you every step of the way. There's no way I'll ever leave you alone."

"Squall?" Rinoa called softly as she opened her eyes.

Squall smiled. "You're awake." He hugged her close to him. "I was so worried."  
"Squall...what happened?"

He frowned. "You don't remember?" 

"I was walking toward the entrance of the arena. Someone...someone attacked me. I remember..._pain _in my leg...so much _pain_." Rinoa shuddered. "That's all I can remember."

Squall nodded. "Did you see who attacked you?"

Rinoa shook her head. "I heard a voice, though.... I can't remember anything about it...."

"That's okay. Right now, you just need to take it easy. You're going to have to stay strong."

Rinoa tried to move her leg, but found that she couldn't. The slightest movement caused her to reel back in pain. She looked at Squall, bracing herself for bad news. "I heard what you said about this being hard. I can _feel _that something is wrong with my leg. Please, Squall, be honest with me. What is the extent of my injury?"

Squall sighed. "I've talked to the doctor. She said that you could talk to her about your options for surgery whenever you feel up to it."

Rinoa looked at him with fear in her eyes. "Surgery? I _am _going to be able to walk again, right?"

"Yes. After you have the surgery, you'll be able to walk normally. However...."

"I'm not going to be able to skate again, am I," she said it as a statement, not a question.

"Rinoa, we don't know that for sure. There is still a good chance that you will be able to skate. I know you, Rinoa, and you are not a quitter. You're going to make it through this."

"What are my chances of skating again?" Squall hesitated. "Squall..."

He sighed again, defeated. "The doctor says you have a seventy-five percent chance of not skating again." Rinoa's face fell. "But the surgery can change that! The doctor says the final outcome depends on the surgery. It _will _be hard, but you can do it, Rinoa. I'll be there for you the whole time."

Rinoa looked at her hands. "Is that really what you want to do, Squall? Be tied down by an invalid? What about your career? _You _can still skate."

Squall shook his head. "No, not without you. I am going to be right beside you every step of the way."

Rinoa rested her head on his chest. "You don't know how much that means to me." They stayed there like that for a few minutes, until Rinoa sat up again. "I want to talk to the doctor now."

Squall looked at her in surprise. "Now? Aren't you tired?"

"No...I'd rather just hear my options. I want to know exactly where I stand and how I'm going to overcome this."

Squall kissed her forehead gently. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Mhmmm," she smiled. "Squall...how did things go from being so wonderful to becoming a nightmare?"

"I don't know," he told her softly. "But I do know one thing. Whoever did this to you...I don't care who they are...they are going to pay for this."

~*~


	13. Hope

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII…

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Jeez, you guys really wanna see Seifer and Quistis killed, don't ya? Well, I guess we'll have to see what happens, because even I don't know the fate of Seifer and Quistis at this time. I do have a few surprises in store for you, though ^_^ 

On the Ice

Chapter 13- Hope

_I hope that talking to the doctor can ease Rinoa's mind. She doesn't deserve any of this. _Squall sighed and leaned back against the wall. Rinoa was in her room talking to Dr. Kadowaki, who had kindly asked him to leave so that she could speak with Rinoa in private. The worry that Squall felt was eating him away. He tried to put on a brave, encouraging facade when he was around Rinoa, but in all honesty, he was terrified. What would happen if Rinoa could never skate again? Where did their future lie? Squall tried not to think of what could happen. _Rinoa is a fighter...she won't give up this battle._

"Squall Leonhart?" A voice barked.

Startled, Squall looked up and met the gaze of a very angry General Caraway. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can _help _me. You can _help _me by letting me beat you into a bloody pulp! You can _help _me by spending the rest of your life in jail!"

Squall looked at him coldly. "If you're here to see Rinoa, you'll have to wait. She's currently discussing treatment with her doctor. As for me, I think you've got the wrong guy."

Caraway glared at him. "No, Mr. Leonhart, I do not have the wrong guy. You may be able to fool my daughter, but I know the truth about you. It is because of _you _that my daughter is in that room. It is because of _you _that my daughter's life is ruined!"

Squall laughed bitterly. "Funny, since when do you care about Rinoa? You ignore her for _years _and now you want to waltz in here and play the part of the caring father? To tell you the truth Caraway, I don't really give a damn as to what you think about me. I am _not _going to leave your daughter."

"How dare you speak to me in that way!" Caraway grabbed the collar of Squall's shirt roughly. "You are the bastard that attacked my daughter. I'll be damned if I let you get near her again!"

Squall shoved him off just as roughly. "I _did not _attack your daughter."

"I beg to differ. Who has a motive to hurt my daughter? Who has the knowledge to know where she is all the time?"

Squall was really starting to lose his patience with the older man. Thankfully, Dr. Kadowaki chose that moment to exit Rinoa's room.

"Squall, may I have a word with you?" The doctor asked.

He nodded, thankful to get away from the General and his false accusations.

"Excuse me, but if you have anything to say about Rinoa, you can certainly say it in front of me," Caraway told Dr. Kadowaki.

She raised an eyebrow. "And just who would you be?"

"I am General Robert Caraway, Rinoa's father, and I demand to know what is going on with my daughter."

"I'm sorry, Sir, but at this time, the only person permitted to hear this information is Squall. Rinoa has specifically asked me to make sure no one else is allowed access to this information."

"That is absurd! I am her father!" Caraway fumed with anger.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I need to respect the wishes of Ms. Heartilly." She turned to Squall. "Please, follow me." Dr. Kadowaki led Squall into a small office, leaving behind General Caraway and his anger. "Have a seat."

"With all due respect, Doctor, I'd rather stand."

She nodded. "Very well. I have just finished going over all the details of surgery with Rinoa. She has decided that she is fully ready to try the surgery, and after that, physical therapy. The surgery is scheduled for Tuesday of next week. In the meantime, I see no use in her staying here."

"You mean that she can go home?" Squall asked hopefully.

"Yes. However, walking will be extremely difficult and she's going to have to stay in a wheelchair. She needs to put as little pressure on her foot as she can before the surgery. Rinoa will need a good deal of help and it will most likely be frustrating for her. Things that she never gave a thought to before, such as taking a shower, are now going to be impossible without help. She is going to need someone by her side constantly in the next week."

Squall nodded. "I understand. After the surgery, she will be able to walk, won't she?"

"A successful surgery will allow her to walk again, yes. The chances of the surgery being successful are very high, about ninety-five percent. After the surgery, she will need to go through extensive physical therapy to regain the strength in her leg."

"She _will _be able to skate again, Doctor. Rinoa is not going to give up so easily."

Dr. Kadowaki smiled. "No, I don't think so, either. I'll be running a few more tests on her today. She should be ready to leave here by tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Doctor. I'm going to have to leave in a few minutes to take care of something. You'll watch over Rinoa in the meantime, won't you?"

"You mean that I'll look out in case an angry father shows up again?"

Squall grinned sheepishly. "Actually, yeah, that's what I was hoping."

She chuckled. "Of course. You run along now. I don't want to keep you."

Squall exited the office and headed straight to Rinoa's room. Once there, he found that she was sleeping again. Smiling, he kissed her cheek. "Wait until you see the surprise I have for you..."

******************************************************************************************

"What's the deal?" Selphie asked Irvine anxiously. They, along with the rest of the skaters, had been waiting to see if they were still going to be competing.

"It's official, the competition has been postponed," Irvine announced. "Once word of Rinoa's condition is assessed, the new date for the competition will be set. However, they can't wait around forever. The new competition will be held no later than two weeks from now."

The voices of the other skaters in the room talked amongst themselves. Some were disappointed; they had come to skate and now were informed that they couldn't. Others, such as Irvine and Selphie, were happy about the delay. This would allow them to go visit Rinoa. They were a bit shaken up by the events that had transpired, so if they had had to skate, you could bet that they wouldn't be in it one hundred percent.

Selphie hugged Irvine tightly. "I can't believe that this happened. Why would anyone want to hurt Rinoa?"

Irvine shook his head. "I bet that Quistis and Seifer could find a reason."

Selphie looked up at him. "You think they're responsible for Rinoa's accident?"

"That's just it. It _wasn't_ an accident. I would be willing to bet my career that they were behind it. Everything fits..."

Selphie nodded. "It does make sense. They've always held a grudge against Squall and Rinoa. I'm worried about her, though. I heard that she was in very critical condition."

"None of this is going to be solved here. Why don't we go visit Rinoa? We can get her account of the accident. Besides, I'm worried about her, too, as well as Squall. They guy's probably driving himself crazy with worry."

"I can just imagine! Okay Irvy, let's go. And let's pray to God that everything works out for them. They've already been through so much."

Irvine nodded sadly. "I know, Selphie. I know..." 

******************************************************************************************

**_Pain_**...pulsing through her body, taking over her mind. The pain blinded her, numbed her senses, controlled her. There was nowhere to run, no place to escape to. The only thought on her mind was this horrific **pain**.

"Please," she whimpered, "Please stop. Stop hurting me! Just please...go away!"

No release. No comfort. The pain sliced through her body like a knife. She would do anything, **anything**, to stop this feeling.

"**God**, please, just **stop**! I can't take this!" A sudden image entered her head slowly, through the haze. "Squall..." she murmured. "Squall, help me!"

She heard a cackling in the distance. "Squall can't help you, Rinoa. No one can. It's almost a pity..."

Rinoa sat up straight, breathing heavily. She was once again in the world of the living. _That dream...it was so **real**. _It had only been a dream...or had it? Was her subconscious trying to get her to relive the horrible accident? The voice in the dream had sounded _so familiar_. However, just like before, she couldn't place who the voice belonged to. Looking around, she saw that she was alone. _Where's Squall?_

Just then, the door to her room opened and Squall walked in, followed by Irvine and Selphie. "Hey...did you just wake up?" Squall asked.

Rinoa nodded. "I had a dream...it was horrible. That voice was there again. I still can't place where I've heard it before!"

Irvine and Selphie looked at each other, confused. "Uh...voice?" Irvine asked.

Rinoa filled them in on the voice she had been hearing in her dreams. "I think it might be the person who did this to me."

"We'll find that out soon enough," Irvine assured her. "How are _you _doing? Squall told us about what the doctor said."

Rinoa hung her head. "I guess you know that I may never skate again, then."

Selphie shook her head. "We know that there's a chance that _people in this situation _may never skate again, but not you, Rinoa. You're not one to give up hope."

Rinoa smiled half-heartedly . "Thanks for the confidence, Selphie. I sure hope that you're right about this."

"Aren't I _always_ right?" She grinned. "Anyway, Irvine and I are gonna get going. We'll come visit when you and Squall get settled."

Rinoa looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Squall shot Selphie a _look_. "Um, I just meant when you're feeling better. So take care of yourself, okay? Bye!"

"Yeah, take care of yourself, Rinoa," Irvine ordered. "We _will _skate against each other in the future." With a wink, he followed Selphie out the door.

Rinoa turned to Squall. "So, what were you up to today?"

Squall froze. "Who said I was up to something?"

"Well, you weren't here when I woke up and I can tell that you're hiding something from me. What is it?"

"Your father showed up here today."

"What did he want?"

"He basically told me to get out of your life because your accident was all my fault. He even went so far as to accuse me of attacking you."

Rinoa gasped. "He said that to you? Oh Squall, I'm so sorry!"

Squall shook his head. "Don't be. I really didn't take him too seriously."

Rinoa giggled. "So...what else are you hiding from me?"

Squall held up his hands in defeat. "You know me too well. I have some great news for you."

"Which is...?"

Squall's eyes twinkled in amusement. "How would you like to be out of here and on your way home tomorrow?"

"Really?!" Rinoa squealed. "I can go home?"

Squall nodded. "You can go home."

The smile on Rinoa's face faded just as suddenly as it had come. "Home...where is that exactly? All of my things are still at my father's house. I've been living in hotels for quite a while." 

"Well, this should help you," Squall said as he handed her an envelope.

"What's this?" She asked confused.

"Why don't you open it?"

Rinoa obliged and opened the envelope. Inside, she found what appeared to be a house key. Puzzled, she looked to Squall for an explanation.

Squall grinned. "Dr. Kadowaki said you're going to need to take it easy. She also said that you're going to need someone to be around you all the time. So...I sold my apartment..."

"Why would you do that? Squall, you're not making any sense."

"...and bought us a condo in Deling City."

Rinoa stared at him in shock. "Are you _serious_?"

Squall nodded. "I mean, you don't have to move in with me if you don't want to. I guess I shouldn't have taken it for granted that you would actually want to live with me. I mean, I had to pull some strings to actually get the condo, and I just really wanted to surprise you and-"

"Squall?" She cut him off. "Shut up," she said as she kissed him.

They parted and Squall looked at her in surprise. "So you _do _want to live with me?"

Rinoa grinned. "Yes Squall...I want to live with you _very _much," and she kissed him again, just to prove how true those words really were.

~*~

__


	14. Unexpected News

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: First of all, I just want to say that I went to see the Goo Goo Dolls in concert yesterday. I got to talk to Mike and Robby, and I came _so _close to meeting Johnny! I saw him go right into his tour bus, damn it! Sorry that it took me a long time to get this chapter out. I've been having some family problems, which will hopefully turn out okay. Anyway, thank you all very much for your reviews. Here's chapter fourteen.

On the Ice

Chapter 14- Unexpected News

Rinoa hummed to herself happily. Even though she could barely stand up, she was in a wonderful mood. In a little while, she would be going home with Squall to their _condo_. She still couldn't believe that he had bought it for them. Yes, getting around before the surgery would be hard, and so would getting around after it, but Rinoa wasn't going to give up. _Squall has faith in me...I won't let him down._

"Rinoa?" Dr. Kadowaki knocked on the door.

"Come in," Rinoa called from her place on the bed.

She walked in and smiled brightly at Rinoa. "Everything is all set for you to go home."

Rinoa couldn't help but smile back. "That's great! Did you get my test results back?"

Dr. Kadowaki shook her head. "Unfortunately, the lab has been shorthanded, so they're running behind schedule. There's no need for you to wait around here, though. I'll call you as soon as the results come in."

Rinoa nodded. "Thank you. So, I'm free to leave?"

"Yes. You can sign out whenever you're ready."

She sighed happily. "As soon as Squall gets back, I'm out of here. No offense, but I'm not very fond of hospitals."

The doctor chuckled. "I don't blame you. I heard that Squall bought you a condo."

Rinoa grinned. "Yes, he did. He's determined to stick by me through all this, and he's certain that I'll skate again."

"That's exactly what you need, Rinoa. Keep up that positive attitude, and I'm sure you'll be skating in no time."

"I hope so, Doctor Kadowaki. As long as Squall is with me, I feel like anything is possible."

"Anything _is _possible, Rinoa, as long as you put your mind to it," the doctor embraced her warmly. "You take care of yourself now. I'll see you on Tuesday."

"Yes. Thanks again."

Dr. Kadowaki nodded and left the room. Minutes later, Squall appeared, holding a single white rose.

"This is for you," he announced as he handed Rinoa the flower.

"It's beautiful," Rinoa said as she breathed in the scent of the rose. "Thank you, Squall."

He nodded. "Are you ready to get out of this place?"

Rinoa grinned. "I'm more than ready. Dr. Kadowaki said that I can check out at any time. Now seems as good a time as any."

"Alright then, Ms. Heartilly," Squall said playfully, "I will be your escort. Allow me," he said as he scooped her gently into his arms and placed her in the wheelchair she would have to use.

"Why thank you, my noble knight," Rinoa played along. "Would you be so kind as to wheel me to the reception desk?"

Squall smirked. "Your wish is my command." He took off with Rinoa at lightning speed down the hallway.

"Squall," Rinoa giggled, "slow down!"

Squall obeyed and stopped right away...right in front of the reception desk. "See, I got you here in record time."

Rinoa laughed. "I'd appreciate it if you got me out of this hospital in record time."

"I'll see what I can do," Squall said as he walked up to the receptionist. "I'm here to sign Rinoa Heartilly's release forms."

"Hold on just one moment, please." The receptionist rummaged around through a drawer, finally producing the forms for Rinoa's release. "Here we are. Dr. Kadowaki has already signed everything, so we'll just need you and Ms. Heartilly to sign on the given area."

Squall nodded and took the papers from her. He scribbled his signature a few times, and then passed the papers on to Rinoa. After she had signed everything, Squall handed them back to the receptionist.

"Thank you, Mr. Leonhart. Ms. Heartilly is free to go."

With a final nod, Squall turned to Rinoa and wheeled her out of the hospital. They were going home.

******************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, in a hotel in Deling City, Quistis and Seifer were planning their next moves. 

"What is the status on Rinoa?" Seifer asked Quistis.

"She was just released from the hospital," Quistis announced as she hung up the phone. "It's amazing what a little false information can get you. So much for confidential information."

Seifer nodded. "Were you able to get an updated status of her condition?"

Quistis nodded smugly. "Her leg was badly damaged and she will be returning to the hospital sometime in the near future for surgery. The best part is," Quistis smirked, "she may not be able to skate again!"

"Are you sure about that?" Something in the way Seifer said that disturbed Quistis. He almost sounded...remorseful.

"Of course I am sure. Why are you acting like this is a bad thing?"

"I'm not. I just need to think about what the best course of action is. I bet Squall is watching her like a hawk."

"Then our first step is to find out where they are. They can't stay in a hotel forever, can they?"

Seifer shook his head. "Especially not if Rinoa is temporarily handicapped. Squall would take her somewhere she could be comfortable. That guy's blind when it comes to her."

Quistis looked away. "Do you think that they're staying at Caraway's?"

"I doubt it. Rinoa always hated her old man, so I'm pretty sure she wouldn't want to be around him."

"Then where would Squall take her?"

"I don't know, but I'm willing to bet that Kinneas and Tilmitt do."

******************************************************************************************

Squall turned the key in the knob and unlocked the door to their new home. Rinoa gasped as she took in all of its features. The door opened into a fully furnished living room with a couch, love seat, recliner, coffee table, and flat screen TV. A desk with a computer was located in the corner of the room. The next room, directly to the left, was the kitchen. The kitchen was also fully furnished with everything they could ever need. Down the hall were three more rooms. The first room on the right was a guest room furnished with a bed, desk, dresser, and book case. The room directly across the hall was the bathroom, which Rinoa immediately fell in love with. The walls were a peach color and located in the middle of the room was a gorgeous marble bath tub. The floor was made of white tiles and in addition to the bath tub, there was a shower. Finally, they came across the room at the end of the hall; their room. A pale blue carpet adorned the floor, going perfectly with the white walls. A king-sized bed was located in the middle of the room, along with a desk, nightstand, fireplace, dresser, and book case. The best feature, in Rinoa's opinion, was the balcony.

"Squall," she gasped. "I can't believe that we have a balcony!" The balcony overlooked Deling City and the view was spectacular.

"Well, I saw how much you seemed to enjoy them when we stayed at the hotels, so I figured, why not get our own."

Rinoa hugged him from her place in the wheelchair. "This is all too much, Squall. You didn't have to do any of this."

"But when I see how happy you are, Rinoa, it's all worth it. I'm going to take care of you until you get back on your feet...literally."

"Are you implying that after I'm 'on my feet' you're just gonna dump me?"

"Rinoa, that's not what I meant at all. I-"

Rinoa cut him off. "Squall, I was just kidding. I know what you meant and think that it's extremely sweet of you. Now, if I could only skate again, I'd be the happiest girl in the world."

"Don't think about that right now. When the timing is right, you will be able to skate again. I promise."

"How can you have so much faith in me?" Rinoa asked bewildered.

"Because you've taught me to have faith. Faith in you and faith in myself."

Their moment was interrupted as the phone rang. "Our first caller. Didn't think many people knew how to reach us. I'll get it, though." Rinoa wheeled herself to the phone in their bedroom. "Hello?"

_"Rinoa? It's Dr. Kadowaki."_

"Oh, hi! Is something wrong?"

_"No, no, nothing like that. I just got your test results back and everything looks great. However, there is something that I'd like to talk to you about."_

"What is it?" Rinoa asked concerned. "If everything looks great, then what's wrong?"

_"Nothing is wrong, as far as I can tell, but I would like to see you right away. There is some...news that I absolutely have to discuss with you."_

Rinoa sighed. "You mean I have to come back to the hospital?"

_"Yes, but just for a little while. You won't have to be admitted or anything like that. I just need to talk to you in person."_

"Alright. I'll have Squall drive me over right now."

_"Okay. I'll see you in a little while then. Good bye."_

"Bye," Rinoa said as she hung up the phone.

"What is it?" Squall asked worriedly. "You have to go back to the hospital?"

Rinoa nodded. "Dr. Kadowaki said that she needs to discuss something with me. She said that it was nothing bad, but I wonder..."

"I'm sure that it's nothing. Come on, I'll take you there right now. The sooner we go, the sooner we'll be out of there."

They exited the condo, got in the car, and were on their way, hoping against hope for good news.

******************************************************************************************

"Rinoa, thanks for coming. I'm sorry to just call you in here like this," Dr, Kadowaki apologized.

"It's alright. I would just like to know what's going on."

"I know. Squall, will you excuse us, please?"

Squall nodded and left the office. _I wonder what this is all about..._

"As I told you over the phone, your test results were magnificent. I see a full recovery in store for you."

Rinoa beamed. "That's wonderful! But couldn't you have told me that over the phone?"

Dr. Kadowaki chuckled. "That's not why I called you to come in. In doing your tests, we discovered something...unexpected."

"Unexpected?" Rinoa asked in alarm. "What do you mean?"

"Rinoa, I'm just going to come out and say it. You are pregnant."

Rinoa stared at the doctor in shock. "Pregnant? How?" 

Dr. Kadowaki smiled. "I hardly think that I need to lecture you on how babies are made."

Rinoa blushed. "It's just that this is so...sudden and completely unexpected."

"Rinoa, if you feel as if you are not ready for this child, there a different options-"

"No!" Rinoa cut in. "I am _not _going to get rid of this child. I said this was unexpected, but I never said that I was unhappy about it."

"Yes, well the decision is ultimately yours. However, in your current condition, physical therapy is going to be twice as hard."

"I am a fighter, and I will fight for my life as well as for my child's," Rinoa said stubbornly. 

She nodded. "Anyway, that's what I wanted to tell you. You are free to go, but remember, if you ever have any questions, feel free to call me."

"I will. Thank you." Rinoa wheeled herself out of the room, digesting what she had just learned. _I'm **pregnant**! How am I going to be able to take care of this baby? And how am I going to tell Squall?_

~*~


	15. Contemplating Matters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! I just want to let everyone know that I'm going to be holding a monthly writing Final Fantasy challenge. Details about this challenge can be found in my Fanfiction.net profile. Please check it out! The more people that get involved, the better ^_^

On the Ice

Chapter 15- Contemplating Matters

"Rinoa, are you okay?" Squall asked her as he entered the living room. "You've been quiet ever since you came out of Dr. Kadowaki's office."

"I'm fine," Rinoa insisted. "I told you, Dr. Kadowaki said that I'll most likely make a full recovery. I'm just relieved beyond words."

Squall frowned. "Are you sure? You know that you can tell me anything."

She forced a smile. "Of course. I really am perfectly fine, Squall."

He shrugged. "Alright then, what do you want for lunch?"

Rinoa looked surprised. "You can cook?"

"Actually, no. I was going to order some take-out," he admitted.

Rinoa giggled. "Just order a pizza. I suddenly have a really strong craving for pepperoni pizza."

"One large pepperoni pizza coming right up," Squall said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

_God, what am I going to do? What if Squall isn't ready to be a father? Hell, I don't know if **I'm **ready to be a mother! I mean, surgery, physical therapy, and all with a baby on the way? I can't keep this from Squall forever... _Rinoa sighed. Worrying over the matter wasn't going to help. _I need to take action._

She jumped as she felt Squall's arms around her. "The pizza's on the way," he said as he sat down beside her.

"Okay."

"Are you ready to tell me what's gotten you so on edge?"

Rinoa sighed again and turned to completely face Squall. "I...I need to tell you something."

Squall looked at her anxiously. "So _tell _me. Rinoa, I hate seeing you like this."

"I can't keep this from you. I'm...afraid of what your reaction to my news might be, but you have every right to know. Squall...Dr. Kadowaki called me into her office today to tell me that I'm pregnant."

"P-pregnant?" Squall repeated dumbly.

Rinoa nodded. "I know this must be a shock for you, I mean, it's a complete shock to _me_. Squall, please say something."

"I don't know what to say. Rinoa, a _baby_. This is going to change our whole lives. What about our career?"

"Our _career_? I tell you that I'm pregnant and the first thing you think about is your _career_?"

"What do you want me to think about?" Squall snapped. "How do you think we're going to afford this baby? Sure, I have money saved up, but that's not going to last us forever. Who knows how long you'll be out with your injury. This couldn't be worse timing."

Rinoa fought back tears at the anger in Squall's voice. "I never wanted to be a burden to you, Squall. I can see that's all you're going to see in this baby, as well as me. I guess I should just move out and leave you alone."

"Don't be ridiculous, Rinoa. I'm not going to throw you out on the streets. Especially not in your condition."

"And what _condition _would that be? The one that's left me in this wheelchair, or the one where I'm going to have your child?" she snapped.

Squall sighed. "Rinoa, please, I can't deal with this right now. I need to go...clear my head. Are you going to be alright here alone?"

Rinoa nodded. "Don't worry about me, Squall. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"I won't be long." He grabbed his keys off of the counter and exited the house, leaving Rinoa alone with her thoughts.

_Well, that weren't perfectly, didn't it? Squall took the news **really **well. _Tears poured from Rinoa's eyes as she recalled the past few minutes. Sure, a baby was a lot of work, but it most certainly wasn't a bad thing. Why did Squall act like it was? _Squall is going to stay by our sides as long as he thinks we're incapable of fending for ourselves. _"That's not true, is it?" Rinoa rubbed her stomach affectionately. "We can take care of ourselves. We don't need Squall to baby us."

Rinoa wheeled herself to the phone. "I don't need Squall to think I'm a burden to him. I'll figure out who did this to my leg, I'll get the surgery, and then I'm out of here. I don't care if I have to go to Caraway's. It's better than staying here unwanted." She picked up the phone and dialed the number for information.

_"Hello, may I help you?"_

"Yes, can I have the number for Seifer Almasy, please?"

******************************************************************************************

About thirty minutes later, the doorbell to the condo rang and Rinoa found herself opening the door for Seifer. "Thank you for coming," Rinoa said sincerely. "Have a seat." She led him to the living room.

"Rinoa, what's this about? You sounded pretty upset on the phone."

"I need to talk to you."

Seifer frowned. "I thought you hated my guts and never wanted to see me again. Where is your new man, by the way?"

"That's none of your concern. I asked you to come here because I want to know if you had anything to do with my accident."

"Your accident? How could you even accuse me of that? I admit, the last time we talked, we weren't on the best terms, but _attacking_ you? Do you think I would actually stoop that low?"

Rinoa narrowed her eyes. "Fine, if you didn't do it, then _Quistis _did. I remember hearing a female voice just before I blacked out. Did she do it? Please, don't lie to me, Seifer."

He sighed and reached for her hand. Surprisingly, she let him. "I never wanted it to have to come to this, Rinoa." His voice was husky and filled with pent up emotion. "You have to understand that I _loved _you, but it was as if you were always drifting away from me. I wanted you so badly, but you were never truly mine. When Quistis entered the picture, she was just like me; a lost soul. I took comfort in her embrace, but I _never _loved her and I still don't. _She _was the one who attacked you. I could never do that to you." He reached out to stroke her cheek.

"So Quistis was just someone you could use for sex?" Rinoa asked outraged. "Because I wouldn't sleep with you?"

"You have to understand that I _wanted _you, Rinoa...I still do. Every time I was with Quistis, I had to pretend it was you."

"Seifer, I'm sorry that you felt that way, but our relationship never would have lasted. I'm with Squall now, and I love him. We're...going to have a baby together."

Seifer's eyes widened. "So you'd sleep with Squall, but not with me? What the hell is wrong with me, huh?"

"Nothing! I don't love you, Seifer. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"I just confessed that Quistis attacked you. She'll probably go to jail, and I'll be left without a partner. I'm risking my life for you!"

"I never asked you to do that, Seifer." She shook her had sadly. "You need to let this go."

Seifer shook his head. "No, never." He advanced towards Rinoa so that his lips were just centimeters away from hers. "I am going to make love to you the way I should have done before. Then, we'll see who you _love_."

******************************************************************************************

Squall stared into the deep blue ocean below him. It was funny how so much could change in one day. When he had woken up that morning, the last thing on his mind was that he was going to be a father. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. _It's not that I'm unhappy that Rinoa is pregnant. It's just...so much at once. I guess I'm scared that I'll do something wrong. I don't know the first thing about being a father. What if I...? What if I fail?_

Squall shook his head, trying to rid himself of his thoughts. How long had he been standing there, looking at the ocean? He had to get back to Rinoa. He owed her an apology. _I...want to stay with her...forever. I haven't known her for that long, but I feel like I know her better than anyone I ever thought I knew. What if she doesn't care anymore? How could I have been so cold to her?_

He turned and walked away from the railing. _She seemed to want me to make a commitment, but...she thinks she is just a responsibility to me. How could she think that? I love her...and I know that I will love this child, no matter how scared I am. _With that thought on his mind, Squall got into his car and drove home confidently. No matter what happened, Squall knew where he wanted to be, and that thought calmed him.

As he pulled up to the condo, he felt a strange sense of longing. It was almost as if his soul recognized the importance of the woman located just through those doors, and he took comfort in the feeling. The feeling just made him feel an extreme comfort, one which he relished in. He got out of the car and opened the door. The first thing he saw was Rinoa laying down on the couch, her shirt torn and soaked with her tears, which were still falling.

Squall immediately rushed to her side. "Rinoa, what happened?"

"Seifer," she sobbed.

"Shh, it's okay," Squall said as he held her against him, stroking her hair gently. "No one can hurt you now."

Rinoa cried into Squall's chest for a few minutes, taking comfort in his arms. Finally, she pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Seifer... Oh God, Squall, I was so stupid!"

"Just calm down and tell me what happened," Squall said softly.

Rinoa nodded. "I called Seifer and...asked him to come over here."

"Rinoa," Squall said sternly.

She shook her head. "Please, let me finish. I know it was stupid, but I thought that without you here, I might be able to get Seifer to confess that he attacked me. He told me that _Quistis _was the one who had attacked me. Then...he told me all this stuff about how he still loved me. He..." Rinoa paused to fight back tears. "He tried to get me to sleep with him. When I refused...he became violent."

Squall felt the rage pumping through his veins. "Did he...hurt you?" 

Rinoa shook her head. "He tried to. He forced himself on me and ripped my shirt. If it wasn't for the pizza guy, he probably would have raped me," she started sobbing again.

"The pizza guy?" Squall asked gently.

"Yes. Before you left, you ordered a pizza, remember? The guy delivering the pizza rang the doorbell before things could get too serious with Seifer. He heard me screaming and threatened to call the police. As you can imagine, Seifer was out of here like a bullet when he heard that."

Squall sighed. "I should have never left you alone. Now, Seifer knows where we live..."

"I'm sorry, Squall. This is all my fault. I was upset over our conversation earlier and I just felt like I had to do _something_. I'm useless to you..."

"Rinoa, don't say that. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I never should have upset you when you told me about the baby. The truth is, when you told me you were pregnant...I was scared."  
Rinoa looked up at Squall. "Scared? Why?"

"It's not like I've ever been a father before. What if I failed this child?"

"You could never fail our child, Squall," she said as she reached up for his face.

"You don't know that. The point is, I did a lot of thinking. I realized that everyone screws up and makes mistakes. I...don't want this to be a mistake. I want to be there for you and this child. I will let you down, that's a guarantee, but I want to spend the rest of my life making up for it."

Rinoa looked at him, amusement evident in her eyes. "Are you proposing?"

Squall shrugged. "I figure that we'll be sticking around each other for awhile. So, why not make it official?"

Rinoa smiled tremblingly. "You're certainly the romantic. Do you really mean that, Squall? You're not just doing this out of obligation?"

"I would never do that, Rinoa." He held her closer to him. "Never."

~*~


	16. The Road to Recovery

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Sorry for the slight delay with this chapter. I actually had a good portion of it written, but then my muses went on vacation, lol. They're back now, so it's all good ^_^ Thanks for the reviews! Also, I just wanted to remind everyone that the monthly writing challenge is still going on. I'm still looking for a lot more fics, so see details in my FF.net profile if you are interested. I apologize in advance for the mushiness at the end of this chapter ^_^ 

On the Ice

Chapter 16- The Road to Recovery

"What do you think about eloping?" Squall asked the next morning as he laid in bed with Rinoa. 

"Eloping?" Rinoa asked surprised. "I never really thought about it."

"It makes sense if you think about it. Neither of us really have family members. I just think that a big wedding would be a waste of time."

Rinoa looked thoughtful. "I suppose planning a wedding _could _take awhile. With physical therapy and the baby, it could get stressful. Besides, there really wouldn't be anyone to invite, would there? Irvine and Selphie are really the only other people I would want to be present."

"Alright, then how about this. We'll hire a priest, invite Selphie and Irvine, and get married wherever you want."

Rinoa couldn't help but smile. "That sounds perfect. If you don't mind, could we get married in a church? Call me silly, but I've always wanted a church wedding."

Squall shrugged. "Whatever makes you happy. As soon as your surgery is over and you're feeling back to normal, we'll have our 'wedding'. Sound good?"

"Yes," Rinoa sighed happily. "Now, we just need to handle the little matter of Seifer and Quistis."

Squall became serious. "I'm going to question Quistis about it today. If I'm lucky, I'll get her confession on tape."

Rinoa's eyes twinkled. "There's no need for that."

Squall frowned. "Why not?"

"You don't think that I would risk Seifer coming over here to confess without getting solid evidence out of it, do you?"

"What did you do?" he asked accusingly.

Rinoa laughed. "I had a tape recorder going the whole time. Now, not only can we nail Quistis for attacking me, but now we have evidence that Seifer attempted to rape me."

"Rinoa, you are brilliant," Squall said as he kissed her.

She smiled. "I have to admit that after I know they're locked away for good, I'll feel much better."

"Rinoa, if you're worried about our child, don't be. I promise that I won't let anything happen."

"And you know I love you for that," Rinoa said as she cupped his face gently. "But it'll just be reassuring to know that they can't do us any harm."

Squall pulled her toward him. "I would never let them touch you. You and the baby are all I have...you're my only family."

"The same thing goes for you, Squall. You have to promise me that you won't do anything that will put your life in danger." Tears filled her eyes. "I don't want our child to grow up without ever knowing its father."

"Shh, that's not going to happen," Squall assured her.

"_Promise me_, Squall."

He nodded. "I promise. I'm not going to be leaving any time soon. Now, can we please stop with all this talk? We're getting married and we have a baby on the way...plenty of reason to celebrate."

She sighed. "You're right, as usual. Everything that's important to me is here in this room. I need to focus on getting better so that our child has a future."

Squall groaned. "Forget about the future, Rinoa. Isn't that what you used to say? Concentrate on the _here _and _now_."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Right again." She rolled over and sat up on the edge of the bed. "Now, if you would be so kind as to escort me to the shower, I can get ready, and we can head down to the police station."

******************************************************************************************

A hour and a half later, Squall wheeled Rinoa into the Deling City Police Station. The place was pretty deserted, probably because of the early hour. There were a couple of officers sitting behind desks doing God only knows what police officers do to solve their crimes. Approaching the main desk, they were greeted by a serious looking gentleman who appeared to be about forty-years-old.

"I'd like to report two cases of violence," Squall told the officer.

"Step into my office," he said as he led them down the hall and into a small room. "Now, what are these so-called cases?"

"I should probably be the one filing the report," Rinoa told the officer. Glancing at his badge, she saw that his name was William Delaney. "This past Wednesday, I was attacked in front of the Deling City Arena. Then, yesterday, Seifer Almasy admitted that Quistis Trepe had attacked me and then he tried to rape me. The pizza we had ordered earlier came before he could do much damage. Seifer left when the pizza delivery guy threatened to call the police."

Officer Delaney raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan to prove that what you say is true?"

"We have evidence. I managed to get Seifer's confession on tape. When Seifer was at our condo yesterday, I secretly taped the whole conversation."

Officer Delaney nodded. "Where is this tape?"

"Right here," Squall said as he handed the tape to the officer.

"Alright, we can review this tape and file a case against Seifer Almasy and Quistis Trepe. If what is contained on this tape is seen as significant evidence against them, they will be arrested. After that, they will have to go on trial, where their sentence will be carried about."

"Sounds like this could take awhile," Rinoa said regretfully.

"Well, not necessarily. It really depends on the specific sentence and how fast they can appear before a judge. In the meantime, I suggest that you be on your guard. They know where you live now."

Rinoa hung her head. "It was foolish of me to allow Seifer access to our home. I suppose that if he gets put away, it'll be worth it, though."

"Sometimes sacrifices must be made." The officer stood up. "I will call you after we gave reviewed this evidence. Try to stay out of trouble."

Rinoa glared at his back as he left the room. "The way he said that, you'd think we were kids."

Squall shrugged. "Policemen tend to act that way. Are you ready to get out of here?"

Rinoa nodded. "Definitely."

******************************************************************************************

Before Rinoa knew it, Tuesday had arrived. It was time for her surgery. She had been on edge since the moment she had woken up. There were so many questions and worries on her mind. What if the surgery didn't work? Even if Squall was willing to dedicate his life taking care of her, she wouldn't have it. It was _his _life to live. He didn't need to be tied down by an invalid.

Now, as Rinoa sat in the waiting room beside Squall, she couldn't help but be nervous about the future. After their trip to the police station, Officer Delaney had called Squall and Rinoa saying that the evidence was enough to arrest Seifer and Quistis. Their trial was in a week, in which Rinoa was going to have to testify. Until the trial, they would remain in jail. However, Rinoa knew that it was just a temporary security. If Seifer and Quistis weren't found guilty, her family would be threatened. She feared for the life of her unborn child.

"Rinoa?" Squall waved a hand in front of her face, "Dr. Kadowaki says they're ready for us now."

Rinoa nodded absently and allowed Squall to help her down the hall. Once they reached another room, Rinoa changed into a hospital gown and Dr. Kadowaki began to explain the procedure.

"Okay, Rinoa, the first thing we're going to do is put you under anesthesia. Once that takes an affect, we will begin to operate on you leg, basically replacing the damaged tissue and cartilage. This procedure will take longer than usual because of your pregnancy. Too much anesthesia could hurt the baby, so we need to give it to you in light doses."

Rinoa became alarmed. "No one told me anything about this surgery hurting my baby. If this is going to endanger my baby's life, then you can count me out."  
"Rinoa, I assure you that we will do everything in our power to make sure that both you and your baby are fine during the surgery. The actual mechanics of the surgery won't affect your baby at all. Like I said, the only thing that could possibly harm your baby is too much anesthesia. I will personally be supervising the anesthesiologist, so I will not let that happen."

Rinoa turned to Squall, still worried. "I don't know. What do you think?"

"I think that the baby will be fine. Rinoa, you need this surgery."

She sighed. "Alright, I'm ready."

Dr. Kadowaki nodded. "Just lay down here and we'll wheel you into the operating room. Squall, you're going to have to go wait out in the lobby."

Squall nodded. He helped Rinoa into the bed and gave her one last hug. "You're going to be fine. I'll be right here with you when you wake up."

Rinoa smiled. "Good. I want you to be the first thing I see. Promise?"

He squeezed her hand. "Of course." Squall released her as Dr. Kadowaki wheeled her down the hall. Sighing, he turned around and headed into the waiting room.

******************************************************************************************

"Squall, hey!" Selphie ran up to him energetically, Irvine right behind her. "How's Rinoa doing?"

Squall sighed. "She's still in surgery, so I haven't had any updates on her condition."

Irvine whistled. "Pretty long time to be in surgery, eh?"  
Squall ran a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. "According to the doctor, the surgery is taking longer because of Rinoa's condition."

Selphie frowned. "What condition?"

Squall mentally slapped himself. _That's right...they don't know that Rinoa's pregnant. This isn't exactly the best time to tell them, but... _"Rinoa is pregnant."

Both Selphie and Irvine stared at him in astonishment. Finally, Selphie broke the silence. "Wow! Congratulations! Can I be its godmother?"

That definitely broke the tension of the announcement. Even Squall managed a small smile. "Well, I'll have to talk it over with Rinoa, but I'll see what I can do."

"Woo-hoo!" Selphie jumped up and down excitedly, causing a few other patients to stare.

Just then, Dr. Kadowaki entered the room. "Squall, I am extremely pleased to tell you that the surgery went very well. Rinoa is still asleep from the anesthesia, but she should be waking up soon. You can go and see her if you'd like. I'm sure you don't want to break your promise," she smiled.

Squall nodded. "Thank you, doctor. For everything." That said, he walked down the hall and entered Rinoa's room.

Like Dr. Kadowaki had said, Rinoa was sleeping peacefully, a small smile upon her lips. He wondered what she was dreaming about. He relished in the fact that he could watch her forever, just like this, and never get tired of it. _I guess that this is what all the hype is about. The songs, the poems, the vows. All for this one **feeling**, a feeling that can creep up out of nowhere and attach itself to you when you least expect it. But...I wouldn't have it any other way._

Rinoa's eyes opened slowly, and just as she had wished, the first thing she saw was Squall. "You kept your promise," she whispered groggily.

He smiled. "I always do." 

~*~


	17. New Beginnings

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII….

Author's Note: First off, I just want to say happy belated birthday, Squall! Lol, thanks to everyone that reviewed! Also, I posted a Squall/Rinoa one shot song-fic last week called Un-Break My Heart. I'd really appreciate it if you could give me some feedback on that. Thanks!

On the Ice

Chapter 17- New Beginnings 

"Rinoa, are you ready?" Selphie asked excitedly. "Squall and Irvy are probably there already!"

"I'll be ready in a sec," she called.

Two weeks had passed since Rinoa's surgery. Everything had gone perfectly and Rinoa had been going to physical therapy three times a week. She was making remarkable progress and couldn't be happier. One of the first things that she had done was go out with Selphie and purchase a formal dress. She hadn't wanted to buy a fancy wedding dress because the ceremony was going to be very small and simple. With the help of Selphie, Rinoa had made the perfect purchase.

Selphie tapped her foot impatiently. "Rinoa, I'm serious! You don't want to be late for your own wedding do you?"

Finally, Rinoa emerged from her room. "Okay, I'm ready. What do you think?"

Selphie stared at her friend in admiration. Rinoa was adorned in the gown they had purchased. It was ivory and sleeveless. Tiny pearls dotted the swooping neckline and the waist. It was classic and elegant and it fit Rinoa completely. Rinoa had all of her hair piled on the top of her head, with a few strands framing her face. On top of that was a small tiara. 

"I think," Selphie said, "that Squall is going to have a heart attack when he sees you."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Only you would say something like that, but I'll take it as a compliment."

"Well, you should. Now, _come on_. Do you really wanna keep your future husband waiting?"

"No, I suppose that wouldn't be a wise thing to do. Wouldn't want him to change his mind."  
It was Selphie's turn to roll her eyes. "As if he would. You and I both know that the man has it bad for you."

Rinoa blushed. "You really think so?"

Selphie smacked herself. "Yes! _You _should know that better than anyone! Now, enough chit-chat! We really do need to get going."

"Okay, okay, let's go." Rinoa grabbed her purse and followed Selphie out of the condo and into her car.

******************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, Squall and Irvine were at the church, waiting for the girls. No one was there except for them and the priest that was now approaching them.

"I was wondering," the priest began, "if you are ready to begin the ceremony?"

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"  
"The ceremony," the priest repeated. "You are getting married, aren't you?" Squall nodded. "Well, then why don't we begin?"

"We can't begin without the bride," Irvine pointed out. 

"Oh!" he chuckled. "Forgive me. I just assumed that you two were…together."

"_Together_? _Squall _and me?" Irvine burst out laughing. Squall, however, did not look amused. Thankfully, Rinoa and Selphie chose that moment to show up.

"Sorry about the delay," Selphie said as she walked through the door. "_Someone _decided that they were going to take their sweet time." Selphie looked pointedly at Rinoa.

Rinoa blushed. "Sorry," she mumbled. Squall didn't seem to mind, though. He was too busy staring at her.

"Ahem!" The priest cleared his throat. "Can we please start the ceremony now?"

Irvine rolled his eyes. "You two had better say yes. He's been at it for quite awhile."

Rinoa smiled and took Squall's hand. "We're ready."

The priest nodded and began. The ceremony was short, but meaningful in its own way. It was very simple, but simple is exactly what they had wanted. It was just the two of them, and their two closest friends. Of course, Selphie couldn't help but start crying. It was a very sweet day for all of them. Once it was over, they thanked the priest and received their congratulations from their friends. 

"So…what's the plan now?" Irvine asked.

"Well, we're going out for dinner and we'd love it if you two could join us," Rinoa informed them.

"Really?" Selphie asked. "Are you sure you wouldn't be happier if it was just the two of you?"

Rinoa shook her head. "Don't be silly. We want you two to share this with us."

Selphie smiled. "Alright then. Where to?"

"Angelo's," Rinoa announced. "Do you know how to get there?"

Irvine nodded. "I'm pretty sure, but we'll follow you, just in case, okay?"

"Okay. Let's get going."

******************************************************************************************

Rinoa laughed as Squall picked her up and carried her into their home. "You know…you can put me down, Squall. I can walk."

Squall shook his head. "You're supposed to be taking it easy."

"Oh, so that's it. Obeying doctor's orders, are we?"

"At least one of us is."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Squall, put me down. You're going to throw out your back. I'm starting to get pretty heavy."

Squall grunted and deposited her onto the couch. "Comfortable?"

"Yup!" she giggled. "Seriously though, I couldn't be happier."

Squall looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you happy, Rinoa? I doubt that this is the life you had imagined when I asked you to become my skating partner."

"No," Rinoa answered, "it isn't. Now, I couldn't imagine it any other way. I am so lucky that you came into my life, Squall."

"Look at us, Rinoa. We're both twenty-two and we're already married and will soon be parents. Instead of this, you could be concentrating on your skating career. I ruined that for you."

Rinoa shook her head. "I have no regrets, Squall," she said as she pulled him in for a kiss. 

"Are you absolutely sure? Because if-"

Squall never had a chance to finish what he was saying because Rinoa decided that now would be a good time to kiss him again.

"Squall," she said as she broke away gently, "pick me up."

He frowned. "I thought you didn't want me to carry you."

"Well, I changed my mind. Carry me to our bedroom, _now_."

Squall didn't have to be told twice. He picked up his wife, entered their bedroom, and kicked the door shut behind them.

******************************************************************************************

"We are here today to witness the trial of the defendants, Seifer Almasy and Quistis Trepe. Mr. Almasy is being tried for attempted rape and Ms. Trepe is being charged for assault. In both cases, the victim was the plaintiff, Rinoa Leonhart. This trial is now in session."

Rinoa was called to the stand first. She was asked to state her case against both of the defendants. "The night of the Deling City skating competition, I was attacked. My husband, Squall Leonhart, dropped me off near the entrance of the arena while he went to park the car. As I was walking toward the arena, I was attacked from behind. I did not see my attacker. However, after the incident, I suspected that my attacker had either been Seifer or Quistis. As Seifer's ex-girlfriend, I thought that he might confess to me if we were alone. So, I invited him to my house to talk to him. During this time, Seifer admitted to me that Quistis had indeed attacked me. During this time, he tried to rape me."

"Let me ask you this, Mrs. Leonhart. Why would Mr. Almasy want to "make love" to you, as you have said in your statement, if he already had an attractive girlfriend?"

"I don't know," she said, annoyed. "He told me that he had always wanted me and that he loved me. I don't know if he was lying or not."

"And in this time, you managed to get his confession on tape?"

"Yes."

"Mighty convenient if you ask me. Mr. Almasy just comes over and pours his little heart out to you. Don't tell me you weren't coming on to him."

"Objection!" Rinoa's lawyer called.

"That will be enough, Mr. Carstairs," the judge told the lawyer questioning Rinoa. "Do you have any further questions for Mrs. Leonhart?"

"No, no further questions."

Rinoa was free to leave the stand and Quistis was called up next. It was time for Rinoa's lawyer, Mr. Wilkins, to question her. She was asked to tell the court her side of the story.

"Yes, I was at the arena that night, but Rinoa did not get attacked by me. I was inside the arena, getting changed into my costume."

"How is it, then, that not a soul saw you in the arena until after Mrs. Leonhart had been attacked?"

"I don't know. I was getting changed, for God's sake. I wasn't exactly in a place where a lot of people could see me."

"What about your partner, Seifer Almasy?"  
"He was also changing at the time."

"Funny, two top skaters and not a single person saw either of you. No further questions, Ms. Trepe. I would like to call Seifer Almasy to the stand."

Seifer took the stand, shocking the court with his version of the events. "Quistis Trepe is a liar. She attacked Rinoa because of her jealousy. She has always been jealous of Rinoa's relationship with Squall. Quistis figured that without Rinoa in the picture, Squall would be hers."

"How do you know for sure that Ms. Trepe attacked Mrs. Leonhart? Did you actually witness the attack?"

"No. Quistis confessed what she had done after the attack."

"You bastard!" Quistis screamed. "You're the one who told me to attack her in the first place! You wanted to eliminate her so she couldn't compete!"

The people in the courtroom gasped. Mr. Wilkins turned towards Seifer. "Is that true, Mr. Almasy? Did you tell Ms. Trepe to attack Mrs. Leonhart?"

"No, I did not. Quistis is just upset that I'm ratting her out."

"What about Mrs. Leonhart? Why did you attempt to rape her?"

"I didn't rape her! She was coming on to me! What did you expect me to do? It's not like I could just forget me feelings for her."  
"So, what you are saying is that everything was consensual?"

"Well, not exactly…"

"Then what, Mr. Almasy, are you saying?"

"I didn't rape her! I just wanted her, alright?! I'm still in love with her, God dammit!"

"Order!" The judge called. "This is enough. This court is in recess for an hour. We will reassemble then with the verdict."

One Hour Later……

"We have reached a verdict," the judge announced. "After reviewing the material evidence and the statements made today, we find both Quistis Trepe and Seifer Almasy guilty. They are both sentenced to five years in prison. This trial is adjourned."

~*~


	18. Old Connections

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: Wow, I think that this is the fastest I have ever updated! Lol, thanks for the reviews!

On the Ice

Chapter 18- Old Connections

The months passed by, and everything seemed to be going perfectly well for the Leonhart family. Rinoa's physical therapy would be over in a month's time, when they would establish if she could skate or not. In the meantime, Squall had taken a job as a mechanic down at the auto shop, claiming that he had always been good with those things. Rinoa spent the days at home resting or getting all the latest gossip from Selphie. Life had become much brighter with Seifer and Quistis out of the picture.

Now, as Rinoa waited for Squall to come home, she felt like her life really did have meaning. Of course, she was extremely nervous about having the baby, but she couldn't have been more excited. _One more month..._ she mused. Then, their lives would change forever.

A key turning in the doorknob brought Rinoa out of her reverie. "Hey," she greeted Squall, "how was work?"

He shrugged. "The same old. Pete is still on my case about my being a skater. Thinks I should quit and become a fulltime mechanic instead."

Rinoa chuckled. "Hey, at least he thinks you're talented. Would you like me to get dinner ready?"

Squall shook his head. "What did I tell you, Rinoa? You are eight months pregnant and it is your job to _rest_. Let me worry about dinner."

Rinoa couldn't help but smile. Months ago, she wouldn't have even dreamed of letting Squall near the oven. Over the months of her pregnancy, he had studied up on how to cook, and surprisingly, he was pretty good at it. "Alright then, you handle it. But I have to admit, I am going out of my mind! Do you know how boring it is to do nothing but rest?"

"You'll thank me later. After the baby is born, _neither _of us will be getting much rest. Believe me, enjoy it while you can."

"Well, maybe we'll be lucky and get a _quiet _baby. That's probably not going to happen, though, right?"

Squall shrugged. "It's very doubtful."

Rinoa sighed. "Either way, resting every minute of my life is _not _fun. I don't think I'll survive another month of being cooped up in here!"

"I figured that much," Squall said, grinning. "That's why I bought us these." He handed Rinoa an envelope.

Raising an eyebrow, she opened the envelope. Inside were two round trip train tickets to Fisherman's Horizon. "Oh Squall...this is fantastic! But...with the baby and all the hospital expenses, isn't this out of our budget?"

Squall smiled sheepishly. "Okay, so I kind of lied when I said that _I _bought the tickets. Actually, Pete and the guys all chipped in. They said to consider it an early baby shower gift."

"But I'm not having a baby shower!"

"Well, they don't know that," Squall winked. "We leave tomorrow and we will be staying for three days. Fisherman's Horizon is supposed to be a peaceful town, so I figured it would be perfect when they told me."

"You know, maybe you _should _become a fulltime mechanic after all. It definitely has its perks. Tell the guys that I am indebted to them."

"I will. You know...being married also has its perks."

Rinoa grinned. "Oh yeah? And what would those be?"

"Well, for one, getting to do this any time that I want to." With that said, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

******************************************************************************************

The next morning, Squall and Rinoa were all ready to go. Selphie and Irvine had dropped them off at the train station, and now they were all waiting for the train to arrive.

"You take care of yourself, alright?" Selphie ordered. "Remember, Rinoa, no extreme activities. You _are _eight months pregnant."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Squall has basically been telling me the same thing. How irresponsible do you think I am?"

Selphie shrugged. "I was just reminding you, is all."

Irvine smiled. "You listen to the little lady now. She knows what she's talking about."

Rinoa raised an eyebrow. "You too, Irvine? Alright, I do appreciate your concern and I promise that I'll keep myself out of trouble."

"You can be sure of that while I'm around," Squall assured them.

Rinoa groaned. "That's why I need to get _away _from you."

They all laughed. "Oh, we're not going to be here when you get back. We're going to a competition in Balamb tomorrow," Selphie informed them.

"Oh, well, good luck," Rinoa said sincerely. "When will you be back?"

"Probably not until next week. The competition spans over the course of three days, and after that, I figure a mini vacation couldn't hurt," Irvine grinned.

They all turned around as the train pulled in. "Well, I guess we should get on board. Thanks for driving us here."

"Oh, it was no problem," Selphie said as she hugged Rinoa. "You go have fun, and worry about giving birth when you get back. We'll be here for you when _that _happens."

Rinoa smiled. "Thanks, you two. Good luck in Balamb!" With one final wave, they both boarded the train.

A few minutes later, the train took off, leaving the city of Deling behind. Rinoa was extremely happy with her life, and with her friends, but she couldn't help feeling a bit envious of them. God, how she missed skating.

"Rinoa, are you alright?" Squall asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about how wonderful it would be if I could skate again."

Squall shook his head. "You were just thinking about how wonderful it _will _be _when _you skate again."

Rinoa sighed again. "We can only hope."

"No, Rinoa, we have more than hope. You know all of the progress that you have made with your physical therapy. Your leg is practically as strong as it ever was. I know that you're going to beat this."

Rinoa smiled faintly. "You really do believe in me, huh? Well, if your faith in me is so strong, then I think that I had better get some faith in myself. Then, I can beat this."

"You will," he said as he squeezed her hand reassuringly. 

She nodded. "I will."

******************************************************************************************

Some time later, Squall was jerked out of his light slumber as his cell phone rang. He answered it quickly, so it wouldn't disturb Rinoa, who was still asleep on the seat next to him.

"Hello?"

_"Squall...it's, um...it's me."_

"Quistis?" he asked surprised.

_"So you can still recognize my voice after all this time. Does that mean that you have been thinking about me, Squall?"_

"No," Squall said coldly, "it hasn't. Why are you calling me?"

_Quistis sighed. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here. I have some things that I need to tell you. Of course, I would much rather tell you them in person..."_

"Forget it, Quistis. I am not coming to see you in jail."

_"I figured you would say that, although I had hoped.... Anyway, I'm just going to have to tell you this over the phone. Are you alone? That prissy little wife of yours isn't listening, is she?"_

Squall gritted his teeth. "No, _Rinoa_ isn't listening. Can you please make this quick? It's not exactly the best time."

_"Yeah, well it's not like I exactly have all the time in the world here. You know, we're only allowed one call a week and then they monitor your time, too. So, if you just came here, it would be much easier."_

"Just spit it out, Quistis! What the hell do you want? You know that I'm not going to come and see you."

_"Alright," she snapped, "you don't have to raise your voice with me. I called to tell you that not a day has gone by that you haven't been on my mind. Actually, to tell you the truth, you are the only thing that keeps me from going insane in here. Have you ever been locked up? Believe me, you don't want to experience it. But Squall...you are my light in all of this. You make things okay."_

Squall rolled his eyes. "Spare me the pity act, Quistis. Do you honestly believe that I can forgive you for turning to Seifer and then _attacking _Rinoa? She may never skate again because of you! Don't you give a damn?"

_"Look, I'm sorry about that, but forget about Rinoa. What about me? I've known you much longer than that little twit has, so why don't you admit that we belong together? I really do love you, Squall."_

"Well Quistis, that is all great and dandy, but remind me why I should care again? Wait a minute, don't. I really don't need to hear any more excuses. Good bye Quistis. _Don't _call me again."

"Who was that?" Rinoa asked groggily as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. "You sounded pretty upset."

Squall massaged his forehead wearily. "That was Quistis, and you're right, I am pretty upset."

"What did she say to you?"

"Basically that she loves me and that we belong together. She thinks I should divorce you and go running straight to prison and into her arms," he said bitterly.

Rinoa looked surprised. "She actually said that?"

"Not in so many words, but you could tell that's what she was hinting at."

Rinoa just shook her head. "Are we ever going to be truly rid of them?"

Squall shrugged. "Let's just say that I doubt this is the last time that we will be hearing from either of them."

Rinoa groaned. "And it all begins again."

"I think that we should relax. The most they can do to bother us is call. Anything other than that would be pretty hard to do from a jail cell."

"I just don't want to have to deal with them again. I mean, why would Quistis call _now_, out of the blue?"

"Maybe she really is going crazy in there. Regardless, we shouldn't worry about it. We have too much to live for."

The conductor's voice came over the speakers. "Attention ladies and gentlemen, we have now arrived in Fisherman's Horizon. Please watch your step while disembarking and have a nice trip."

Squall stood up and grabbed Rinoa's hand. "Come on. This trip is supposed to be about relaxation. So, lets get you doing some of that."

Rinoa smiled. "I seem to do enough of that at home, but I'm too exhausted to argue with you. So, for now, I am yours to command."

Squall grinned. "Mine to command, huh? I could have some fun with this...."

~*~


	19. Finding You

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, everyone, but I'm afraid that it could become a habit now that school is back. I am taking three honors classes, so I have to juggle a lot of work with this fanfic. I'm hoping that I'll be able to finish this up in about five or less chapters, but since this fic seems to have a mind of its own, I don't even know what's going to happen. Also, I have written yet another angst songfic called "Can't Let Go." If any of you could read and review that, I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed either fics!

On the Ice

Chapter 19- Finding You

"Ms. Trepe? My name is Doctor Carmichael. I am going to be asking you some questions. Please, take a seat."

Quistis reluctantly sat down across from the doctor. "You better make this quick. I don't need a damn shrink."

"Quistis...I'm just here to help you. Might I also remind you that you are in no position to be making demands. Like it or not, you are still a prisoner."

She snorted. "You want to help me? I'm sorry, doctor, but I am beyond help."

"Nobody is beyond help, Quistis," the doctor said as she patted her arm reassuringly.

"Really? Well, you obviously haven't heard my story."

"Then why don't you tell me? Sometimes it helps to get things off your chest."

Quistis sighed. "You want to hear my story? Here it is. I loved Squall Leonhart from the moment that I laid eyes on him. We eventually became skating partners and I always held on to the hope that we could be something more. Then, the twit, Rinoa Heartilly, entered the picture. Squall was manipulated by her and now they are married." Tears filled her eyes. "Can't you see? Rinoa stole Squall from me!"

Dr. Carmichael handed Quistis a box of tissues. "It sounds to me, Quistis, that you are in denial. Obviously, you had strong feelings for Mr. Leonhart and when he turned to another woman, you were hurt. However, there was never a romantic relationship between the two of you, so don't you think you might be overreacting?" 

"No, I do not. There was always a connection between us, but he didn't want to acknowledge it."

"Quistis, look where this rage and denial had gotten you. You are serving a five year sentence in _jail_. Surely, you wouldn't want to waste you life away over a married man."

Quistis slammed her fist down on the desk. "I will _never _give up on Squall! He loved me! Rinoa is making him deny his feelings for me!"

"You need to calm down. May I ask you a question? If your feelings for Mr. Leonhart were so strong, then why turn to Seifer Almasy? We know that there was a romantic connection between the two of you."

"Seifer was just a distraction. He made me forget about Squall for awhile, but in time, I realized that I couldn't possibly let him go. I can _never _let him go! Please, I need to get Squall back!"

_What this girl needs is a muzzle! _"Quistis, have you seen Seifer since your sentence? Has he contacted you in any way?"

"No," Quistis snapped. "Why the hell would he? It's pretty apparent that his heart belongs to the twit, as well. What is wrong with everyone?"

"So what you are telling me is, you haven't seen or spoken to Seifer Almasy in eight months?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

"So, would it be correct for me to assume that you don't know anything about him disappearing this morning?"

******************************************************************************************

"Squall, stop splashing me!" Rinoa shrieked. Her and Squall had walked down to the pier from their hotel. Rinoa was sitting on the edge of the docks, while Squall was swimming in the calm water.

"I guess I'm going to have to. I wouldn't want you to go into labor or anything," he teased.

"Squall Leonhart! You are the one who stressed that this was going to be a _relaxing _vacation. Well, ever since we arrived here yesterday, it hasn't exactly been relaxing."

Squall smirked, remembering the night before. "I promise, all relaxation the rest of the time that we are here." He pulled himself out of the water and onto the docks, next to Rinoa. 

"Well, you've always been a man of your word. I suppose that I'll just have to trust you on this one."

"Really, I don't see why you are so anxious to rest, anyway. Your attitude was the complete opposite yesterday."

"I guess that the traveling, on top of being eight months pregnant, just wore me out. I'm exhausted."

Squall gave her a worried look. "Are you feeling alright? I really didn't mean to wear you out."

Rinoa gave him a small smile. "No, it wasn't you. I'd just really like to get back to the hotel and rest right now. Do you think we could?"

"Of course, Rinoa. Why wouldn't it be okay?"

Rinoa shook her head. "I don't know. You know how I get when I'm tired."

Squall smiled. "Yes, I do." He extended his hand to her and she got up.

"God, I feel like a penguin," she complained.

Squall chuckled. "Are you going to be able to make it back to the hotel?"

"Of course," she said assuredly as they walked towards their destination.

About seven minutes later, they reached the hotel. Rinoa was completely out of breath and had to take a moment to rest before entering the building. She leaned against a nearby tree wearily.

"I never should have let you walk that. Stay here...I'll go get you some water, okay?" Squall asked.

Rinoa nodded, too tired to speak. At that point, she just wanted to have the baby and get it over with. A hand on her shoulder made her jump in fright. Her eyes widened as she felt the hand tighten, and then a voice say, "Looks like I've found you."

******************************************************************************************

"What do you mean, Seifer escaped this morning? There has to be some mistake. He wouldn't just leave me here!" Quistis exclaimed, outraged.

"Didn't you just finish telling me that Seifer was a distraction and that he was basically in love with Ms. Heartilly?" the doctor asked.

"Well, yes, I did. I meant what I said."

"Then why did you sound so surprised to hear that Mr. Almasy didn't include you in his escape plans?"

"Why don't I ask you a question, Doctor. If this is a _prison _and nobody is supposed to get out, how did Seifer manage to escape?"

"That's what I was hoping you would be able to tell me," she replied.

"Well, you can forget it. I can see that all you care about is finding Seifer. You don't give a damn about my mental health. That was all an excuse to question me, wasn't it? I'm willing to bet that you're not even a doctor."

"Then you would lose that bet. I assure you, Ms. Trepe, that I am. I do want to help you, but you are also imperative to gain information on Seifer's whereabouts."

Quistis rolled her eyes. "I'd have to disagree with that statement, considering that I _don't know _anything. You're going to have to find some other way to locate Seifer."

"Quistis...please be reasonable. If you know anything, it would be in your best interest to tell us. You would be rewarded for the information...possibly even get your sentence lessened."

"As appealing as that may sound, I am telling you the truth. I don't know where Seifer went."

Doctor Carmichael folded her hands neatly and pasted on an artificial smile. "In that case, I will have you escorted into your jail cell, and out of my office. I have no further use for you."

Quistis clenched her fists as she was grabbed roughly by two security guards. "So much for caring about my mental well-being, you bitch," she muttered.

Once Quistis was out of her office, Dr. Carmichael turned to the ward in her office. "I'm willing to bet that Seifer Almasy isn't very far from Rinoa Heartilly right now. Locate her immediately."

"Yes ma'm." The ward nodded and silently left the office.

******************************************************************************************

"I have to say, Rinoa, that your friends aren't very cautious. One of the mechanics down at the auto shop in Deling told me all about your little vacation with Squall."

Rinoa gritted her teeth. "We're in a public place, Seifer. You wouldn't dare try anything. Squall went to get me a drink and he's going to coming back in a minute. He'll kill you if he sees you here."

"Are you actually concerned about me now, Rinoa? That's funny...you didn't seem too concerned when I landed in jail."

"You didn't 'land' in jail, Seifer. You only got what was coming to you and you know that. So why are you here? Have you come to admit your undying love for me _again_? You don't seem to get that I _hate your guts_!"

"You flatter yourself," he whispered. "No, I am here for another purpose entirely. It's your child that I want."

Rinoa gasped. "Never! You would have to kill me first."

Seifer chuckled. "Believe me...that can be arranged."

"The police will find you. They're probably on their way here right now."

"By then, we'll already be gone. See Rinoa, I'm always one step ahead of everybody else. Even your dear little husband."

"What the hell do you want my baby for? You want a kid? Go bang Quistis! I'm sure she'd be more than happy to oblige."

"You don't seem to understand, Rinoa dear. I don't just want any baby. I want _your _baby, or more specifically, yours and Squall's baby. It will kill him to know that I'll be raising his child with you."

Rinoa laughed. "Do you honestly believe that your plan is going to work? The police _will _find you, and then you'll be back in jail for an even longer period of time. You said that you want to remain one step ahead of everyone else? Well, why don't you just quit while you're already there?"

"What would be the fun in that? No, Rinoa, I am perfectly happy with doing things my way. You and your baby will live the rest of your lives under my roof. We'll be one big, happy family. It will drive Squall insane."

"No, it won't," Squall said as he stepped put from where he had been hiding in the shadows. "Because you won't be taking my wife."

Seifer grinned. "Oh? How do you suppose you are going to stop me?"

"Why don't you look behind you?"

Turning around, Seifer was faced with a police squad. "Shit," he cursed as he was grabbed and handcuffed.

"Seifer Almasy," one of the officers said, "You are under arrest...again."

~*~ 


	20. Little Miracles

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: This was a quicker update than I had expected. I'm sorry that this chapter is pretty short. To be totally honest, I am really starting to get sick of writing this fic. I'm hoping that I will be able to wrap it up in the next couple of chapters. For what I have planned, I don't think it'll take any more than three more chapters. Thank you all for being so great to me with this fic. You all totally rock!

On the Ice

Chapter 20- Little Miracles

"Are you okay?" Squall asked Rinoa after the police had taken Seifer away.

Rinoa nodded. "I think so."

He gently took her hand and together they walked back into the hotel. "I was ready to kill Seifer back there, you know."

Rinoa looked at him. "You seemed pretty calm to me. I'm glad that you handled the situation the way you did."

"I was trying to remain calm for your sake. So, are you saying that you're glad that I didn't hurt Seifer?"

"Not that you didn't hurt him...but, I'd rather not see my husband go to jail."

Squall put his arm around her protectively as they entered their room. "No attacking him then, huh? I suppose I wouldn't be much good to you in jail."

Rinoa smiled. "I'm selfish. I want you around me all the time."

"That definitely shouldn't be a problem," he said, smirking.

Rinoa was about to respond when a pain shot through her. "Argh!" she cried out as she grabbed her stomach.

"Rinoa!" Squall said alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"M-my stomach! Squall, I think something is wrong with the baby!"

Squall's eyes widened. "The baby? Rinoa, are you sure?"

"Argh!" she cried out as another pain hit her hard. "Yes, I think so!"

"Okay, just calm down. I'm going to get you to the nearest hospital."

"Please hurry, Squall! Something is definitely wrong!" At this point, Rinoa was crumpled up on the floor, sobbing, as she clutched at her stomach.

Squall took a deep breath and assessed the situation. _Alright, I need to get a cab to take Rinoa to the hospital, or would an ambulance be better...? _"Rinoa, should I call an ambulance? Or do you think a cab would be faster?"

"I don't _care_! Just make this _stop_!" Rinoa cried.

"Alright, just breathe, Rinoa. Can you get up?" He extended his hand and helped her to her feet. "Okay, lean your weight me and I'll support you. Let's go down to the lobby and see if they can get us to the hospital as fast as possible." Rinoa nodded and braced herself as they walked to the elevator and then took it down to the lobby. "I need an ambulance!" Squall told the secretary as soon as they exited the elevator.

"What's the problem?" she asked.

"The problem is that my wife is eight months pregnant and in severe pain. Call a freaking ambulance _now_!" Squall growled.

"Yes, Sir!" the secretary said, startled by his tone.

"Hang in there, Rinoa. The ambulance is on its way."

"S-Squall...this isn't supposed to be happening!" she sobbed. "Why is this happening?"

Squall held her, rubbing her back soothingly. "You're going to be fine, Rinoa. You've already been to hell and back. You can _fight _this!"

Rinoa nodded half-heartedly and clenched her teeth against the raging pain. "Come on, come on," she urged the ambulance.

A few minutes later, the ambulance pulled up in front of the hotel and two paramedics entered the building with a stretcher. The loaded Rinoa onto the stretcher and into the ambulance, Squall clutching her hand the hole time. He was beginning to feel a strong sense of deja vu from when Rinoa had hurt her leg.

Squall looked to one of the nearest paramedics. "Do you know what's going on with my wife? Is she going to be okay?" he asked frantically.

"At this point, we don't know. What we do know is that she is in labor. If she doesn't have the baby when we get to the hospital, both of them could die."

As those words were said, everything in Squall's world came crashing down, and for the first time in his life, he blacked out.

******************************************************************************************

"Mr. Leonhart, can you hear me?"

Squall squinted up at the voice above him. "What happened?"

The nurse smiled sympathetically. "You passed out back in the ambulance. It took quite awhile for you to regain consciousness."

Squall shot up in the hospital bed as he recalled the reason why he had been in the ambulance in the first place. "What about Rinoa? Where is she? _How _is she?" he asked frantically.

"Is Rinoa your wife? I'm sorry, but I don't know her current condition. They took her in about ten minutes ago. Like I said, you were out for awhile."

"I need to go be with her! Please, you have to take me to her!" Squall pleaded.

The nurse nodded. "Alright, follow me."

Squall jumped up and followed her grimly. He didn't know what to expect regarding Rinoa's condition. He couldn't help remembering the paramedic's words, _"If she doesn't have the baby when we get to the hospital, both of them could die." _Squall shook his head, trying to rid himself of the unthinkable.

"Here you are, Mr. Leonhart," the nurse said as she stopped outside of a door. "Your wife is in there."  
Nodding, Squall took a deep breath and opened the door. He was met with the sight of Rinoa, surrounded by doctors, in the processof giving birth to their child. "Squall," she gasped.

He rushed to her side and took her hand. "I'm here now, Rinoa. We are going to get through this together."

She nodded and squeezed his hand tighter. Sweat was pouring down her face and she was breathing heavily. "I...can...do...this!"

"That's it, Rinoa_ ,_" one of the doctors said encouragingly. "Just one more push and you're home free."

"Yes," Rinoa whispered. She clenched her left fist and squeezed Squall's hand with her right. Then, she took a deep breath, said a silent prayer, and did everything in her power to bring her baby into the world of the living.

A baby's cries filled up the room then, and it was the most beautiful sound that Rinoa had ever heard. "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Leonhart, it's a girl. What are you going to name her?"

"Sabina," Rinoa whispered as she held her little bundle of joy. "Sabina Leonhart."

The doctor smiled. "You two gave us quite a scare, but it looks like little Sabina is going to be just fine, despite being born premature."

"Look at her, Squall," Rinoa cooed. "Isn't she the most perfect little thing that you've ever seen?"

"Yeah," Squall breathed, "she is."

******************************************************************************************

"Okay, let me see her!" Selphie squealed as soon as Rinoa opened the door to their house three days later.

"Shh," she scolded, "Sabina is sleeping. You're welcome to see her as long as you're quiet."

"Alright, I promise to be quiet! _Now _can I see her?"

Irvine rolled his eyes. "Selphie, calm down. Give Rinoa a chance to breathe before you start bombarding her."

"Thanks, Irvine. It's too bad that you couldn't be there for the birth. I'm sure that if you were, it wouldn't have been as chaotic," Rinoa told him.

Selphie pouted. "I wish we could have been there, but your timing was horrible! Couldn't you have waited a few more days?"

Rinoa laughed. "You're going to have to complain to Sabina about her impeccable timing."

"Rinoa, is that Selphie and Irvine?" Squall asked quietly as he walked into the living room, Sabina asleep in his arms.

All three just turned to stare at him. Rinoa was the first to break into a grin. "Yup, Irvine and Selphie are here. They wanted to see Sabina."

"Well, here she is," Squall whispered. "She's still asleep, but...." he trailed off, lost in simply admiring his daughter.

"Aw," Selphie said. "I have never seen anything more adorable."

Rinoa's smile widened, knowing that Selphie was not only talking about Sabina, but of seeing her in Squall's arms. "Neither have I."

"She is so tiny! Oh, look at those little fingers, Irvine!" Selphie squealed excitedly.

Curious as to who was making all the racket, Sabina opened her eyes. The tiny brown orbs stared up questioningly at her father.

Squall chuckled. "I don't understand her, either," he reassured her. "Selphie is just Selphie, but she's your godmother, whom I can already tell will love you very much."

Selphie eyes widened. "Godmother? Really? You're making me Sabina's godmother?"

Squall nodded. "I told you I could persuade Rinoa. She's _very _easy to persuade," he winked.

"Squall!" Rinoa refrained from hitting him only because he was holding their child. "You know that's not true! I've said from the beginning that I wanted Selphie to be our child's godmother."

Squall shrugged. "Okay, so I lied about that, but admit it, you _are _easy to persuade."

Rinoa shot him a look. "You are just extremely lucky that you are holding a baby right now."

Irvine laughed. "It looks like this is our cue to get going. Thanks for letting us see Sabina. She really is gorgeous."

"Thank you, Irvine," Rinoa said sincerely. "I'm glad that you two stopped by. Oh, and this is pretty much a given, but Squall and I want you to be Sabina's godfather. That is, if you want to be."

Irvine grinned. "Now, how could I refuse an offer like that? I would be honored."

"Thanks, you two," Rinoa smiled. "Come back any time that you want. I won't bite your head off, I promise."

"Well then, we'll definitely be seeing you soon. If you ever need any help, I'm just a phone call away." Selphie told her. "So, if you ever feel like you need a break, just give me a call. I'd be more than happy to baby-sit."

"I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thank you, Selphie," Rinoa said as she hugged her. "Bye!"

"Bye!" Selphie waved as her and Irvine left.

Squall took a seat down on the couch and began rocking his daughter back to sleep. Rinoa sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I can't believe how lucky I am. I almost lost the both of you," Squall whispered.

"I wasn't going to quit until I knew that Sabina was safe, even if it meant giving up my life for her. But when I saw your face...and how much hope you had...I had to hold on to both of our lives."

"I'm glad that you did," Squall told her, the tears in his eyes expressing just how much of an understatement that was.

Rinoa's gaze mirrored his own. "So am I."

~*~


	21. Returning Again

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: A few more chapters and this ficcy will be finished! To those of you who commented on Sabina's name, my friend is actually named Sabina and I've always loved that name, so that's where I got it from. Thanks for reviewing!

On the Ice

Chapter 21- Returning Again

The days went by and Rinoa and Squall were the happiest they had ever been. Well, until Sabina would start crying her eyes out, but still, they loved every minute of it. However, underneath all the happiness lay a hidden anguish in Rinoa. The question of "would she ever skate again?" was constantly gnawing at her mind. She hated herself for not being satisfied with what she had. Once you had a taste of that feeling out on the ice, like you were flying, you simply couldn't go back to being content without it. That was why, three months after Sabina was born, Rinoa entered the kitchen with joy shining in her eyes.

Squall looked up from where he was feeding Sabina. "Okay, what's going on? And don't tell me nothing, Rinoa, because I can read you like an open book."

Rinoa grinned mischievously. "Well...I just thought that now would be as good a time as any to return to skating."

Squall's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

Rinoa smiled gently and took a seat next to him. "I know what you're going to say, but please hear me out first. Two weeks after Sabina was born, I decided that I was going to train myself to be able to skate again. Every day, I met with Cid for two hours to practice. I told you that I was going to physical therapy, however, that ended right after Sabina was born. I didn't want to tell you because I knew that you wouldn't want me to overwork myself. However, after a lot of frustration, I was able to overcome my disability and _skate _again! Again, Squall, I am so sorry, but I needed to do this on my own, and I wanted to surprise you when I felt like I was at my best. That time is now, Squall. I want to train with you again, _win _with you again." she searched his face questioningly. "Please say something."

He stared at Rinoa silently for what seemed like an eternity, but he couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face. "You can skate again?" he asked in disbelief. "You _have _skated again?"

Rinoa nodded. "These past three months have been the hardest of my life, but I already know that it's worth it. That's why I've been so tired lately. You didn't think it odd because you thought I was worn out from Sabina."

"I don't know what to say.... Rinoa, I should be mad at you for lying to me, but how can I be? I _knew _that you could do it!"

"Oh, Squall, I am so happy! This was such an obstacle for me...you can't even being to imagine how relieved I feel right now. We can go back to our career!"

Squall placed Sabina in her carrier and then drew Rinoa to him. "I am so proud of you. Do you know how much you have overcome? You've beaten Seifer and Quistis. Look where they are now, and look where we are."

Rinoa laughed. "You're sounding like quite the cocky one right now."

"I have every reason to be," Squall told her. "Look at where I am. It doesn't get any better than this."

Rinoa sighed happily. "No, it doesn't."

******************************************************************************************

Drip...drip...drip.... Quistis shuddered, feeling like she would go crazy if she didn't get away from the constant noise of the dripping water. She had been in jail for about a year now. How she would survive another four was beyond her comprehension. Every day wore on, dragging into the next, until there were no longer twenty-four hour periods, just a slow, ongoing cycle of time. Quistis wanted it all to end, even if it meant taking her life. Constantly on her mind were ways to go about ending her pitiful existence.

During the time she had been in jail so far, not a soul had come to visit her. Barely anyone talked to her, except for the occasional psychologist and counselor who claimed to want to "save her soul." Ha! That was a joke. Like anyone could save her now. She was cursed to live the rest of her days in solitude. Even when she did get out of jail, no one would want to be around her. She was supposedly "dangerous." If Quistis could hit a rewind button and go back to the day she met Seifer Almasy, she would have avoided him at all costs. All he did was screw up her life.

Yes, she did feel remorse for the things she had done. Despite her having been dubbed the "Ice Queen," she did have emotions. What had ever possessed her to lead such a pitiful life? She supposed that is she thought back to it, she could blame it on Squall. It was her love for Squall that had broken her apart. She had been normal until he had entered her life. No matter what she thought of Squall, though, she could never hate him. Even after everything, she still loved him deeply. The only difference now was that she was starting to accept the fact that she would never have him. That's what a year in jail will do for you.

Not only was the boredom driving her insane, but she constantly had to deal with her thoughts. They haunted her, trying to rip her apart, make her go insane. Some would argue that she already was. Hell, she _wanted _to believe that. Convincing herself that she was insane somehow made what she did just a little less horrible. However, she knew that wasn't the case. She had known what she was doing, when she had done it. 

Quistis looked up as a guard unlocked her jail cell. She got up and followed him silently. She was used to this by now, as well. They no longer needed to handcuff her as she was escorted to the cafeteria for lunch. All of the women had lunch a the same time, separately from the men. Quistis rarely, if ever, saw Seifer, which she couldn't say was very disappointing.

The guard left Quistis just outside of the cafeteria. Just as she was about to walk through the doors, she was grabbed roughly from behind. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was. "Seifer," she hissed, "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

He pulled her into the shadows, and out of sight from any guards who could be lurking about. "We only have a few minutes before they notice I'm missing. I need to talk to you."

Quistis sighed. "Make it quick."

"Word has it that Squall and Rinoa will be making their comeback into competition in Trabia next month. When they do, I am going to be there, and believe me, it will definitely be a memorable night. However, I might need some help. That's where you come in."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Excuse me? Do you really think that I am going to help you after all that you've put me through? I don't want to have a damn thing to do with you!"

"So you're not interested in getting your revenge anymore, is that it? When did you become so righteous?"

"I never said that I was, Seifer. The difference between you and me is that I know when to stop. I'm sick of living my life in this jail. Don't try to find me again," she said as she walked away.

Seifer shrugged. "Your loss."

******************************************************************************************

"Good, good!" Cid said encouragingly as Squall and Rinoa practiced the moves for their new routine. "The way it looks, you'll be ready to enter into the competition in Trabia on the first of the month. This competition is _big_. Only the best will make it through to the finals. It will be tough, but I know you two can do it."

Squall frowned. "Are you sure that it's good for Rinoa to be competing in that type of event so soon after her injury?" 

"In my personal opinion, I would say yes, but only Rinoa can truly answer that question." Both men turned towards her.

"I can handle it. I already told you, I feel great! I am more than ready to do this, so please don't worry about me."

Squall nodded. "I'll trust you on this one, but seriously, if you're not feeling well, you have to tell me. Okay?"

"Mmhmm. If I'm in pain, I will tell you."

"Well, now that we've got that settled, why don't you take it from the top?" Cid instructed.

They obliged, putting their hearts into their routine and trying to work out any of the kinks. After going through the jumps a few more times, they were interrupted by the sound of Sabina's cries. 

Rinoa skated over to the sidelines, where Sabina was in her carrier. "I think that she's hungry," Rinoa announced as she picked her up and began feeding her. "Looks like we're going to have to take a break."

Cid smiled. "You've definitely earned it. Like I said before, you two are doing fantastic." He walked up to where Rinoa was sitting. "Uh, I may just be an old man who wishes he had some kids of his own, but may I feed her?"

Rinoa laughed. "Of course! You can be her surrogate grandfather since it doesn't seem like my father will be taking an active role in her life."

Cid frowned. "What ever do you mean?"

"My father and I are not exactly on the best terms. He hasn't come to see me since I got married and had Sabina. To be completely honest, he probably doesn't even know that he has a granddaughter."

"That's a shame," Cid said as he cradled Sabina in his arms. "How could you shun a perfect little creature like this?"

Rinoa sighed. "Who knows? What I do know is that I don't need my father. Believe me, you have been more of a father to me then he ever was."

"Well, thank you, Rinoa. It really has been my pleasure. Edea and I never had children, so we definitely appreciate having you and Squall, as well as Selphie and Irvine."

"Mmm," Rinoa murmured as she watched her husband still practicing. He was such a gorgeous skater. She still couldn't believe that he was her husband.

"Listen, Rinoa, you and Squall have both got in plenty of practice today." He handed Sabina back to her. "Why don't you two go home and, uh, rest." he winked.

Rinoa smiled. "That sounds like a plan." She stood up. "Hey Squall!"

He stopped and looked up questioningly. "What?"

"You ready to head home? Cid says we've done enough training for one day."

Squall smiled and skated over to them. Taking of his skates, he said, "I have to say that I agree." Smirking, he picked up Rinoa in one hand and flung her over his shoulder. In the other hand, he picked up the carrier that Sabina was in.

"Have fun!" Cid called, smiling to himself. _What a pair!_

~*~


	22. Watch Me Shine

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: Well, this story is at it's end. There will be one more chapter after this one and then it will be over. Thanks for the reviews, everyone!

On the Ice

Chapter 22- Watch Me Shine

"Rinoa, are you ready?" Squall called from his place outside of the door. "We have to get going, or we'll never make the train."

"Coming," she shouted as she threw a few more things into one of her suitcases, picked the rest up, and hurried out the door. "Okay, I'm here."

Squall rolled his eyes. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Rinoa looked around her in puzzlement. What was missing? There were their suitcases, Squall had the tickets in his hand, and Sabina was right over there. Only, she wasn't. "Where's Sabina?" Squall looked at her pointedly. "Oh my God!" she cried as she ran into the house to retrieve her daughter.

Squall chuckled to himself. "Forgetting our daughter...she must really be worried about this competition."

A few minutes later, Rinoa emerged from the house with Sabina in her carrier. "Oh God, Squall, how could I forget Sabina? I'm such a horrible mother!"

"Rinoa, don't be ridiculous. Everyone makes mistakes and you would have realized Sabina was missing. I highly doubt that you'd leave without her. Besides, you have a lot on your mind right now. Nobody can be perfect."

"But our _daughter_, Squall! What if you hadn't been here to remind me? What if I really did leave her at home?"

Squall sighed. "It _didn't _happen, though. You can't keep thinking of what could have been."

Rinoa hung her head. "I guess that you're right. Look at us, though. We really are going to miss that train now."

"Not if I can help it. Come on, get in the car. Make sure you're buckled in, because I'm gonna have to gun it."

Rinoa nodded as she strapped in Sabina, and then herself. "Okay, but please try not to kill us."

Squall grinned. "Just relax, and we'll be there before you know what hit you." He stepped on the gas and the car shot forward.

Rinoa gripped the seat tighter. _Oh, God...._

******************************************************************************************

"_Quistis Trepe_, you had better tell us what is going on!" the officer demanded. "We recorded you on tape talking to Seifer Almasy, so you must know what he's up to. _Where _is he?"

Quistis rolled her eyes. "I told you once and I'll tell you again, I _don't _know. However, I do find it a bit ironic that Seifer has been able to escape from here twice. Where are your guards, anyway?"

The officer shot her a look that was full of venom. "You refused to cooperate with us the last time, and Seifer almost got a hold of Mrs. Leonhart. Or is that your plan? To sit by idly while Seifer does your dirty work?"

Quistis bit back a scream. "I'm not lying to you now, and I didn't lie to you before. I fully cooperated with you last time, but you all seem to think I'm keeping information from you."

"Then what were you two talking about?" he demanded.

"He approached me in the hall and told me that he wanted to reform his ways. Then, he asked for my forgiveness."

The officer raised an eyebrow. "And did you give it?"

She shook her head. "No. I told him that after what he did, I could never forgive him."

"Ms. Trepe, you may have personal reasons for withholding the truth about what Seifer said, but know this. Not only is Rinoa in danger, but so is her husband. I know that you've had a...erm, past, with him. Do you really want to see him get hurt?"

Quistis let the information seep into her brain slowly. _Squall... _She needed to get to him. Knowing Seifer, he would go after him at any cost. Telling the officer what she knew would just hurt Squall. She needed to personally see to it that he was okay. "I told you, I know nothing. Of course I would be upset if Squall was hurt, but there is nothing I can do to help."

The officer shook his head. "Suit yourself, Ms. Trepe. Both of the Leonharts' lives are in your hands. It seems that this doesn't trouble you very much."

She sighed. "Their lives are not in my hands, officer. They are in Seifer's. The only way you can save them now, is to stop him. So I suggest you get working on that right now and leave me the hell alone."

"Have it your way," he said as he signaled for one of the wards to take her away.

_If Seifer was able to escape from here twice, then it must not be all that hard. Only I can stop him now. Don't worry, Squall. I'm coming._

******************************************************************************************

Before they knew it, the day of the competition had arrived. Both Rinoa and Squall were backstage with Sabina close by. They had decided that Zell, who was also at the competition, would watch her once they were up. Rinoa finished feeding Sabina and then set her down.

"Hey, Rinoa, you ready for me to take her?" Zell asked as he walked up to her.

"Not quite. We'll be one fifth and they're still on the singles competition. You're welcome to hang around with her, if you want. Squall and I are just going to go over the routine."

Squall came up from behind them, giving Zell a cold look. "We're trusting you to take care of our daughter. If I find out that anything, _anything_, happens to her, I will personally take it upon myself to make your life a living hell." Obviously, he wasn't too keen on Zell taking care of Sabina.

Zell gulped. "Point taken. I'll watch her like a hawk."

Squall nodded, still not completely satisfied, and turned to Rinoa. "Do you trust him?"

"Yes," Rinoa said confidently, "I do. So stop worrying. We need to go over the routine. Sabina will be fine."

Sighing, Squall silently followed Rinoa to an open area where they could go over some of their moves. This competition would be one night only. Eight pairs would be competing in a ferocious battle for the gold. Only the best would be able to come out on top.

After going over their moves several times, they felt that they were as ready as they'd ever be. Rinoa was dressed in a light purple, sleeveless costume, while Squall was wearing black from head to toe. They were very pleasing to the eyes and a definite crowd favorite.

"Hey guys!" Selphie ran over to them breathlessly. "They just started the pairs competition, so Irvine and me will be on next. We just wanted to wish you two good luck before we get out there."

Rinoa smiled warmly and gave both Selphie and Irvine a hug. "Good luck to you guys, too! We'll be rotting for you from the sidelines."

Squall settled on shaking Irvine's hand, but was enveloped in a tight hug by Selphie. "Yeah, good luck," he said sincerely.

"Thanks," Irvine said as he and Selphie both got ready to get out there.

"Well?" Squall asked.

"Well, what?" Rinoa said, perplexed.

"Are we going to go watch them, or what?"

Rinoa grinned. "You're finally catching on! Let's go!" She stopped to tell Zell where they would be, and then they were on the sidelines, watching as Selphie and Irvine skated out.

Selphie was dressed in a red, sparkly number, while Irvine was dressed in dark red velvet. They, too, were looking great. Their upbeat music started and they began doing what they did best. A blur of red here, a rush of velvet there...their energy was present throughout. The first jump was executed perfectly, but there was a problem with the second one. Irvine lost his footing right before the jump, causing him to crash into Selphie. The crowd gasped as they saw the two skaters collide, but they quickly got up and finished the rest fairly well.

Waving, they skated off the ice and waited to receive their scores. "The technical marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 5.5, 5.6, 5.5, 5.6, 5.6, 5.6. The artistic marks for Kinneas and Tilmitt are: 5.6, 5.7, 5.7, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8." The marks were alright, but not as well as they would have liked them to be. They were currently in second place. Giving one last wave, they walked over to the side where Squall and Rinoa were.

"Hey," Rinoa smiled brightly and gave Selphie a hug. "You did great!"

Selphie shook her head. "No we didn't. Thanks for saying so, anyway. We did our best...but we could have done better. What an oxymoron, huh?"

Rinoa smiled sympathetically. "Hey, you're not out of it yet. Don't feel upset until you _know _that you're not in it anymore. The other pairs could do much worse."

"We can only hope." Looking sad, Selphie followed Irvine back into the locker room.

Rinoa turned to Squall. "Poor Selphie. I don't think I've ever seen her look that dejected."

Squall nodded. "It's unfortunate, but you just can't afford to be making those kinds of mistakes here."

She hated to admit it, but Squall was right. You had to have your mind and heart in it three-hundred percent. If not, you would never make it on top. "Come on," Rinoa said as she took Squall's hand. "Lets go and see Sabina one more time before we skate. For good luck."

Squall agreed and they walked back to where Sabina and Zell were. "She's asleep," Zell said when he saw them. "And perfectly fine."

Rinoa brightened at the sight of her perfect little angel. She leaned over and gave her a kiss. Seconds later, Squall did the same. Hopefully, Sabina would prove to be a lucky little baby, but even if they didn't do well, they still felt like they were two of the luckiest people alive. They stood there, just watching her, for a few minutes, until it was time for them to get back out there.

"We'll be right back, Sabina," Rinoa cooed. "Sleep tight."

Squall gave Sabina's hand a small squeeze and then followed his wife to the ice. They skated out to the wild cheers of the crowd. They took their places and then the music started up. Slow and graceful was what they were trying to achieve in their performance. So far, it seemed to be working. Jump here, turn there, speed up, slow down. Rinoa and Squall blocked out everything around them until all they saw was the ice and each other, and all they heard was the beating of their hearts. Rinoa put all of her trust into Squall as he tossed her into the air with all his strength. Confidence grew as jumps were landed perfectly. All the nervousness that had been felt had now evaporated completely. They finished, exhausted, but completely exhilarated all at the same time.

Rinoa ran into Squall's arms and held him tightly. The crowd roared and Squall and Rinoa could not stop smiling. They had never put on such a clean, beautiful performance in either of their careers.. _This_ was what all those months of training had been for. _This _was the result of enduring all of that suffering and heartache. Flowers, stuffed animals, and an assortment of other gifts were thrown onto the ice. They both scooped a few items up, took some more bows, and skated over to where they would receive their scores.

"The technical marks for Leonhart and Leonhart are: 5.9, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0. The artistic marks for Leonhart and Leonhart are: 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0." The crowd was now on their feet, giving Rinoa and Squall the recognition they deserved.

Tears of happiness streamed down Rinoa's face. She clung to Squall tightly, wanting to bask in that moment forever. However, fate had other plans. In that moment, a sniper was pointed at the happy couple, and then a shot rang out through the arena.

~*~ 


	23. Peace

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: Well, everyone, here is the final chapter. I would just like to thank everyone that reviewed or sent me e-mails supporting me with this fic. Most of you know that there were some really trying times for me while writing this fic, but it was the kind words of you reviewers that encouraged me to continue on with this fic. Now, it is finally coming to a close. Again, thank you so much for all of your support and for sticking with me until the end. You have no idea how much it all means to me. I really hope that this final chapter doesn't disappoint you. 

On the Ice

Chapter 23- Peace

Squall and Rinoa stared up at each other in confusion. Seeing that neither of them had been hurt, they shifted their gazes. Their eyes were met with the sight of Seifer, lying dead, on the ground and bleeding profusely. Standing behind him was Quistis, a gun in her hand. Seifer had taken a bullet right through the heart. Both Squall and Rinoa stared at the two in shock.

Quistis took a few steps forward, tremblingly. Every pair of eyes in the arena was on her. "I-I had to. Seifer...he was shooting at you, Squall. I couldn't let him kill you." Tears poured from her eyes. "Y-you never loved me, b-but I have always loved you. I don't care if you hate me. I just needed to make sure that you were safe."

"Quistis...I...." Squall trailed off, truly at a loss for words.

"It's alright, Squall. You don't have to say anything. Look at your wife's face. Do you see the relief there? Be happy, Squall. Be with your family and _live_.Don't let anyone claim your life as their own."

"Quistis, you're not making sense. What are you talking about?"

She smiled sadly. "I needed to do this one last thing...to finally clear some of the guilt. Maybe...maybe I won't be remembered as such a horrible person now. Please Squall, don't remember me as the person who attacked your wife. Remember me as the person who saved your life."

"Why are you talking like this? Like you're about to-" Squall stopped as he remembered the gun she was holding. It was now aimed at herself. "Quistis, no!"

"Good-bye, Squall. Remember to _live_. Seifer is gone, and now, so am I." That said, she pulled the trigger and fell to the ground.

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"They didn't even have a funeral for them," Selphie whispered to Irvine. "I know they were criminals, but still...."

Irvine shook his head. "I know, Selphie. You just need to think about all the hell that they put Squall and Rinoa through. They only got what was coming to them."

Just then, Rinoa and Squall exited their house and walked up to them grimly. "Cid and Edea are staying to watch Sabina," Rinoa explained. "We're ready to go now."

They nodded and then they all entered the car. The mood in the car was extremely somber and no one said a word. It was funny how much two people could make you feel. You held this...hatred in your heart for them, but when you witnessed them dying.... The memories would all come flooding back, about those few times that were good. You begin to ask yourself, "Where did everything go wrong?" What are you supposed to do when you don't know whether to be sad or relieved that a person you had so much history with, although mostly bad, was dead? These were the types of questions that Squall and Rinoa were asking themselves as they rode to the cemetery.

Irvine parked the car, but stayed inside with Selphie, wanting to give them their space. They approached Seifer's grave first. Rinoa stared down at it, a myriad amount of emotions running through her.

_Seifer...there were times when I thought I hated you. Sometimes, I still think I do. When I think about how you tried to rape me, kidnap me, kidnap **my baby**, and kill Squall, I just can't forgive you. But I can't completely hate you, either. When I look back on that summer, so long ago, when we met...I can't hate you. Back then, you were so innocent, so carefree. I was in love with you then, Seifer, but I see how foolish and naï ve I really was. I'm sorry that things had to turn out this way, but they did. I hope that you can finally see how wrong you were in doing the things you did. Now, I believe that I can finally find some peace. Maybe...maybe you can, too._

Rinoa turned to Quistis' grave then, needing to "tell" her some things, as well. _Quistis...I never thought I would say this, but I feel sorry for you. I know that you were driven by Seifer to attack me, driven by your blind love for two people. In the end, I truly believe that you changed. In my heart, I am able to forgive you. You saved my husband's life, and for that, I am grateful. However, your final words are what have driven me to forgive you. I honestly believe that in those final moments, you knew all that you had done, and that knowledge was too much to bear. That's why you pulled the trigger. May you find some peace, as well._

Rinoa then turned to face Squall, who was looking extremely uncomfortable. His eyes had been trained on her the whole time, watching as she "spoke" her final messages.

"You looked like you were...concentrating," Squall told her quietly.

She nodded. "In a way, I was. I believe that they can hear our thoughts, if we wish for them to be heard. That's what I was doing. 'Talking' to them. It really helps...to get some closure."

He nodded. "You really think they can hear our thoughts?"

"Yes, if we want them to do so."

"Okay, then," he said confidently. "Will you wait for me in the car? I just need to do this...alone."

Rinoa nodded in understanding. "I'll be in the car if you need me."

Squall turned back around and stared at the grave in front of him. It simply read "Quistis Trepe." No one really took any time to care about criminals. Squall closed his eyes. He felt a bit stupid, talking to Quistis inside of his head, but like Rinoa had told him, he needed this closure.

_Quistis? I really don't know if you can hear me. Hell, I don't even know if I want you to. What you did...to me that is just unforgivable. Yes, you saved my life, and I am grateful to you for that, but I just cannot overlook all the years we spent together. The person you were...it just wasn't normal. You asked me to remember you as the person who saved my life, not as the person who attacked Rinoa. I don't know if I can do that. Maybe someday I will, but right now, I just can't. I don't know what else to say.... I'm sorry that things ended the way that they did, but I am not sorry that I am going to live my life and be happy. No one pulled that trigger, but you. Remember that._

Sighing, Squall turned to Seifer's grave. He had nothing pleasant to say to him, but he needed to get some things off his chest. _Seifer, I shouldn't even be wasting my time with you. There is no way in hell that I will ever be able to forgive you. You hurt Rinoa far too many times, and then you tried to kill me. Well, I'm not sorry to say that you'll never have the chance to lay your hands on my family again. You only got what was coming to you, Seifer. Rot in hell._

That said, Squall turned around and walked back to the car. He took his seat, put his seatbelt on and looked to Irvine. "Let's get out of here."

******************************************************************************************

Shortly after, Rinoa and Squall had come to a decision. No longer would they compete in skating competitions. It was like a bad curse. Every time they were doing great, something awful would happen. There were just too many bad memories. However, just because they weren't skating in competition didn't mean that they couldn't skate. Now, they skated in shows only. There was no pressure to be the best, no scores, and no bitter rivalries. Squall and Rinoa both agreed that they had made a wise decision.

Now, they were taking things slow, always putting family before work. In fact, a year had passed since they had gotten married. Squall and Rinoa had decided to have a small party, inviting Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Cid, and Edea. It really had a double meaning, though. Yes, they were celebrating their one year anniversary, but they were also celebrating the fact that they had all made it through the past year. They had certainly had their share of ups and downs. For now, though, things were going pretty normally, which was a welcome relief to all the chaos they had known.

"Hey, has anyone seen Squall?" Rinoa asked the few guests they had. All of them shook their heads. "Hmm...I wonder where he went." She scanned the room, but came up with nothing. Noticing that Sabina was also gone, Rinoa began to worry.

"Is everything alright?" Edea asked worriedly.

Rinoa forced herself to smile. "I'm sure that everything is fine. Squall probably took Sabina for a walk or something."

Edea nodded. "Come, dear, have a seat and relax. This is supposed to be a very joyous day for you."

_The key word there is "supposed." If I had my husband and daughter with me, I'd feel a lot better. _Just then, Squall came through the door with Sabina resting peacefully in her carrier. Squall handed the carrier over to Rinoa. "Can you take this for a minute?"

Rinoa obliged, feeling confused. "Where were you? What was so important that you had to walk out on our anniversary?"

Squall shrugged. "Confidential business."

Rinoa frowned. "What are you talking about? Why did you have to take Sabina with you?" She stared down at her daughter and gasped. Placed in her lap was an open box, and inside the box was a gorgeous necklace, on which hung a diamond angel pendant.

"Happy anniversary," he said quietly.

Rinoa stared at him, then at the necklace, and then back at him again. "I...when? How? I mean, it's beautiful. Is that were you went?"

Squall nodded. "I had it specially made and I went to go pick it up. Do you like it?"

Rinoa gazed at it in admiration. "I love it. Thank you...."

"Ahem," Irvine cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but we're all going to clear out now. This has been a great party, so thanks for inviting us. Happy anniversary!" He winked. Everyone else said their goodbyes and then filed out the door, leaving the two alone.

"Come here," Rinoa said as she enveloped him in a tight hug. "This night has been perfect."

"Yeah," Squall said as he kissed her softly. "Are you up for an encore?"

Rinoa smirked. "I think I could go for that, _after_ we put Sabina to sleep."

"That won't be a problem," Squall said as he picked up his daughter and carried her into her room. Rinoa followed him as he placed Sabina in her bassinet to sleep. "She's so perfect."

"Mhmm," Rinoa grinned. "Looks like she's settled in."

"It appears so," Squall said as he scooped up his wife in his arms and carried her into their bedroom, shutting the door behind them.

Needless to say, they didn't get very much sleep that night, or many nights that followed. Life had turned upright, and the stars were shining brightly for them. No matter what the future had in store for them, they had each other, and they had their daughter. They didn't need anything else.

~*~

Final Author's Notes: Well, that's that. After working on this for about ten months, it is finally done. Again, THANK YOU! I really, really love all of you reviewers. Oh, and if anyone was confused with the grave scene, Squall and Rinoa weren't actually talking out loud. They were saying their messages to Quistis and Seifer in their heads because it was a more personal way for them to get closure. Well, that's about it with this fic. I will have two new fics coming out, so look for them sometime soon. *Curtain falls* That's all, folks!

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